Chelsea Forum (Stamford Bridge)

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Arnesen's conscience is clear


Frank Arnesen insists he does not feel guilty for walking out on Tottenham for rivals Chelsea.

Arnesen shocked Spurs by moving to their Premiership rivals in the summer in a controversial move which was dogged by difficult negotiations over compensation.

The Dane was suspended by Spurs once Chelsea's interest in his services was confirmed and protracted discussions over the amount of compensation then clouded his move to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea paid a reported £8m to land Tottenham's sporting director who, as part of the settlement, was prevented from starting his new job until September.

Now with league champions Chelsea, who face Everton on Sunday night, set to star in Sky One's search for the next young footballing superstar through the 'Football Icon' programme, Arnesen has made it clear he does not feel any guilt over his decision to leave for West London.

"I've been in football for 30 years, sometimes you are sacked, sometimes you stay and sometimes you go," said Arnesen. "I don't feel guilty because while I was there I tried to do my best.

"Tottenham were disappointed and I am happy they were because if they hadn't been, I would not have been doing a good job.

"It's a different job here and not one a lot of clubs in the world could have offered me. Chelsea want to go to the top and invest in the organisation. I would have been stupid to turn it down and I didn't."

The player selected from 5,000 hopeful applicants on the reality television show, which begins on Sunday evening, will eventually be granted the prize of a professional contract with Chelsea.

The final decision will be made by first team coach Jose Mourinho along with Arnesen and the rest of his youth academy staff.

The former PSV Eindhoven sporting director, who discovered such talents as Brazilian Ronaldo through an unrivalled network of scouts worldwide, knows exactly what kind of player he will be looking for to push through the ranks and into the first team.

Currently only England's John Terry, under-21 international Carlton Cole, third-choice goalkeeper Lenny Pidgeley and German international Robert Huth made it through the ranks to the first team squad.

But Arnesen is determined to develop Chelsea's youth system in order to deliver one player a year for Mourinho to add to his squad of big money imports.

"It is down to me to look at a player who is 16 and decide if he will get better and better," said Arnesen. "Playing abroad is not a problem, you have to learn the language and the culture and we are taking people with talent, technical skills, physical strength and tactics and more and more importantly - the right mentality. We would like to get one player a year into the top squad."

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Silvestre's Smith concern


Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre believes Chelsea have signed the next Roy Keane in £24.4m summer buy Michael Essien.

Frenchman Silvestre, 28, admits United are still searching for a suitable replacement for Keane, who is currently sidelined by injury.

Alan Smith has been playing a midfield holding role, but his upbringing as a striker will hamper him when it comes to filling the Irishman's shoes, according to Silvestre.

Essien is in the Keane mould, but joined Jose Mourinho's champions at Stamford Bridge in August.

"Replacing Roy Keane is not easy," Silvestre told The Sun. "We have not found his successor, someone to step into his shoes.

"Alan Smith has been put into a new position in the middle in front of the defence and Alex Ferguson thinks he has the profile.

"But he has been brought up as a pure striker, he will not be able to have the same output.

"The only one on the market in the style of Keane was Michael Essien. Apparently, he was a little expensive."

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Roman wants Blues legacy


Roman Abramovich aims to turn Chelsea into the most successful club in the world.

The Russian billionaire has funded a spending spree of around £240m on players since his £140m takeover at Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2003.

As a result, Chelsea ended a 50-year wait to become league champions last season.

In the foreword to a new book 'Chelsea FC - The Official Biography', Abramovich has outlined the short and long-term goals for Chelsea.

"We aim to retain the Premiership and get to the Champions League final," said Abramovich.

"In the long term, our strategy is to build the most successful football club in the world and everything we have done so far is geared to this.

"I hope to carry this forward in the true blue tradition of Chelsea but also build even stronger foundations to last us the next 100 years.

"When I became involved in Chelsea, I had little idea how much joy and excitement it would bring me.

"I can think of no more fitting tribute to our centenary season than to enter it as the Premiership champions. That is like a dream come true.

"It was 50 years since our previous title and everybody's working hard to ensure we will not have to wait that long again."

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Doubts over key Blues duo


Chelsea have doubts over the fitness of striker Didier Drogba and winger Arjen Robben as they prepare for Sunday's Premiership trip to bottom club Everton.

Drogba injured a knee in the Champions League win over Real Betis on Wednesday, and although coach Jose Mourinho is hopeful he will be fit Hernan Crespo and Carlton Cole are on standby.

Robben, meanwhile, is still suffering with a hamstring strain and Shaun Wright-Phillips will continue to deputise should the Dutchman remain on the crocked list.

Republic of Ireland winger Damien Duff faces another three weeks out after cartilage surgery and is a definite absentee.

Chelsea (from): Cech, Cudicini, Johnson, del Horno, Gallas, Ferreira, Terry, Carvalho, Essien, Makelele, Lampard, J Cole, C Cole, Drogba, Crespo, Wright-Phillips, Gudjohnsen, Geremi, Huth.

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Dynasty no drama for Jose


Jose Mourinho insists he is looking no further than the five-year duration of his current contract even though billionaire owner Roman Abramovich wants to set a 100-year dynasty in motion at Stamford Bridge.

Abramovich revealed his long-term ambitions for the Premiership champions when he penned a foreword to the club's newly-published official history.

But the Portuguese coach is adamant he does not feel under any extra pressure to deliver more trophies following the Russian's remarks that he wants to build the most successful football club in the world.

Instead, Mourinho says he feels even less pressure than when he first arrived - boasting he was the 'special one' on the back of his Champions League glory with Porto.

He admits his remark exerted more pressure on himself but the fact he led Chelsea to their first title in 50 years last season has taken most, if not all, of the burden of expectation from his shoulders this time around.

"For me the pressure is only for the next five years not for the next 100," said Mourinho.

"But having more pressure than when I first arrived at the club, I don't think I will face again - not at Chelsea and not in my future."

Mourinho hopes to have both striker Didier Drogba and Dutch winger Arjen Robben back for the trip to bottom club Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday.

Drogba picked up a knee injury in the win over Real Betis but Robben has been out of action with a hamstring problem since he returned from international duty with Holland.

But the Chelsea chief rejected suggestions that Robben's problem was more of a mental one than physical one.

"I always need feedback from the player," explained Mourinho. "I ask are you injured, are you not injured, how they feel, do they still feel pain, is he confident to play?

"A player can be out of the medical department with the problem solved and still have bad feelings or a lack of confidence - not enough to play football at the highest level.

"I always need feedback from the players and that is what I will be asking for from Arjen tomorrow.

"It is the same question I will ask of Didier and Carlo Cudicini, who has a little problem with a toe.

"But Arjen's problem is physical. He was injured last season and he was injured this season. The problem is injuries - not mental."

Everton are rock bottom of the Premiership with just one win and one goal to their name but Mourinho has every confidence that manager David Moyes will turn their fortunes around.

Indeed, the Chelsea boss believes that, while they cannot repeat the fourth place of last season, they can still do enough with the remaining games to finish in mid-table.

"Normally a bad moment arrives for everybody," said Mourinho. "I think he can save the situation. The new players are good and sooner or later they will win matches and be out of the situation.

"In this moment, do I believe Everton will be again fourth in the Premiership? I would say of course not.

"Do I believe that they will be relegated? Of course not. They will finish in the middle of the table."

The fact Everton are where they are in the table does not surprise the Chelsea maestro, it frightens him because he knows they could start their revival against his side.

Chelsea are currently nine points clear of their nearest rivals at the top of the table after posting nine straight wins since the season began.

But Mourinho is quick to guard against any complacency ahead of their trip to Merseyside.

He added: "Where they (Everton) are does not surprise me, it scares me.

"Because one day they will win and start coming back up out of the bottom of the league.

"So we have to look at them as though they were, you cannot look at them in the position they are at the moment.

"If you look at the team as one with a lot of defeats then we will get a big surprise."

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Henry support for Drogba


Arsenal forward Thierry Henry claims Chelsea striker Didier Drogba is not given enough credit for his all-round impact despite criticism of his goal record.

Henry has just eclipsed Ian Wright's Arsenal scoring record with his two goals against Sparta Prague and was looking to increase his tally of 186 goals against Manchester City on Saturday afternoon.

Drogba, meanwhile, scored 16 goals last season for Chelsea, while he has already hit the net on eight occasions in this campaign.

However, he has still seen his strike rate criticised following his £24m arrival from Marseille at the start of last season.

Henry believes the Ivory Coast international is not given the credit he deserves and insisted: "Drogba sometimes gets stick for his first touch, but you have to respect him as he runs everywhere.

"Emile Heskey also gets stick but it's not nice to put your head everywhere. When I step on to the pitch, my focus is on the team. I want to do well for the club. For me, if I score two goals and we lose 4-2, I will be fuming.

"I know how difficult the job is as a striker. Heskey and Drogba may get hammered by some people as they don't score that much, but they shield the ball and run all over the pitch. People in the game judge them on how efficient they are."

While Henry praised a Chelsea striker, he also paid tribute to a Manchester United midfielder, describing Paul Scholes as the best in his position in the Premiership in the past six years.

"The one guy that people have not rated enough is Paul Scholes. Since I have been playing in England, he has been the best midfielder that I have seen," the Frenchman observed.

"When he is on the ball, it's ridiculous because he plays the game I like to see - one touch, two touches and he moves. That's the type of player I like to see."

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Hibs reveal Chelsea talks


Hibernian and Chelsea have confirmed early negotiations over a future link-up between the two clubs.

A possible agreement with the Premiership champions could see a player-exchange between Stamford Bridge and Easter Road.

Chelsea head of development Frank Arnesen told the Scottish Mirror: "If we can do something for each other, why not? We can use each other.

"Hibs are in a good area in the United Kingdom and we are talking."

A Hibernian spokesman added: "The conversations with Chelsea are at a very early stage but we are talking.

"Any conversations will remain private right now."

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Mourinho: My Blues secret


Jose Mourinho has revealed how it took just three days to turn Chelsea from also-rans into champions.

The Portuguese coach arrived at Stamford Bridge last year calling himself the 'special one' and realising he had to bring success to the club instantly or he would never convince the doubters he could survive in the Premiership.

Mourinho had brought Champions League glory to Porto before he accepted a five-year contract to turn Chelsea's fortunes around for billionaire owner Roman Abramovich.

He achieved it with ease as Chelsea romped to their first top-flight title for 50 years and beat Liverpool to take the Carling Cup. The biggest task for him though was to turn the players into winners by giving them a leader they could trust.

That job is normally a thankless long-term one for most coaches in football but then Mourinho proved he possessed special qualities by insisting it took him three days to earn the respect and belief of the players he inherited and bought.

"I arrived here as European champion and people still doubted about me," Mourinho explained. "Too many question marks. I knew I had to win or I would be under fire because Chelsea is Chelsea and everybody would be thinking about them failing again.

"The worst thing you can have in your life, especially in football, are the question marks. I was ready for that. To break the cycle of under-achievement. I saw no problem for me to cope with that.

"The club in general terms maybe needed that shake-up. That change of attitude. Not being afraid of saying: 'Today, we are going to win. We are the best club'.

"The club needed that shake-up. And I was lucky because I was not alone. I had around me players ready and waiting for that change of attitude. They were just waiting for somebody to come and lead them in that way. So it was not so difficult. I had big support in the dressing room.

"I saw that change after just two or three days. Things started very well. I was open to them and had a lot of communication with them.

"I felt they adapted to our way of training and started preparing for friendly matches as we prepare for Premiership matches. Everything was quite easy for them."

Mourinho added: "The secret is not them believing in me, the secret is they believe in themselves.

"For players, it is most important. The first phase is that they believe in me, and the second is that they believe in themselves. They showed that last season and again this season, that they believe in themselves.

"Maybe they don't say it but for sure, John Terry thinks he is the best central defender in England, and maybe he knows now he is the best defender in Europe. Frank Lampard knows now he is the best player in Europe. They believe now in what they really are. And as a team, they know where they are.

"They understand it is not easy to play in this team. They understand there is competition. They understand that one day, they look untouchable and the next, they think how can I get back into the team?

"For example, Paulo Ferreira played four years in a row under me, game after game, now three consecutive games, he is on the bench. What Carlo Cudicini said is perfect. He would be a liar if he said he was happy on the bench. He also says he is ready when the manager needs him and that is the perfect message.

"The players know I am in command. They know I am fair. If I am not it's because the club and the results are more important to me than players. But they know I care about and respect them."

Mourinho does not believe in striving for perfection though and insists anyone who does will fail to find it.

When asked how far he felt his all-conquering side could go, he pointed out there is still much room for improvement.

"There is always things to improve but it's also very difficult to keep other things," he said. "To improve in certain areas without losing quality in others where you are strong is not easy. But I think we have a very, very good balance.

"For me, solid is the perfect word for a football team. Our aim is to win and to win you have to try to improve all the time. A perfectionist is someone with an obsession he can never achieve.

"You cannot be perfect. That is not the word. Somebody who wants to improve all the time, yes, but to arrive into perfection, I think this is an ideal not for me."

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Moyes: We can mug Chelsea


Everton boss David Moyes believes Chelsea hate playing at Goodison Park and he aims to reinforce those fears when the 100% champions arrive on Merseyside on Sunday.

Jose Mourinho's boys are parading a 38-game unbeaten league run and are odds-on favourites to heap more misery on the Premiership's bottom club.

It is the sort of mismatch which surely has only one outcome - but don't suggest that to Goodison boss Moyes.

He said: "I don't think they enjoy coming to Goodison Park, I hope we can give them some of the same we have done to other big teams.

"We have beaten Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United here over the past couple of seasons.

"I have heard them say that Goodison is the hardest place for them to visit and it's my job to make sure they feel the same way at the end of Sunday's game."

Moyes could have record signing James Beattie in his side and is demanding a return to last season's belligerent form which ended with Everton finishing fourth.

He continued: "What I'm looking for is a return to how we played last season.

"We were not far away from them last term, they were top with us fourth.

"At the moment it looks a big gulf, but only a few months ago it wasn't a big gulf at all.

"Both our league games last season finished 1-0 to them and I am going to make sure that gulf is not as big as it seems.

"People say if we lose 'so what?' because they expect us to lose.

"But it's not 'so what?' to me, it doesn't matter whether I am playing the top or the bottom it all means the same. I want us to win and every game we go into I expect us to win.

"I do not expect to lose any game. But I do realise it's against Chelsea, they are going really well and they are the top team.

"And we are facing them when they have started to hit a few goals, but I am going to remain really positive and try to cause them problems."

Last season, Everton's crowd and high tempo players combined to give visitors to Goodison a torrid time.

Moyes explained: "Our crowd here make a big impact, the players and supporters work together but at the moment we haven't got the results we require - but I cannot fault the fans because they have been right behind us.

"This game could be similar to when we beat Arsenal a couple of years ago. It was the first time as a manager I'd heard supporters singing in the streets outside the ground.

"We had the same against Liverpool and Manchester United, and each time the supporters played a massive part.

"They have always been very good to me here and very good to the players so hopefully we can give them something to sing about again.

"We know we need points and I believe that when we are at Goodison we can be a match for anyone, the proof is that we have those victories over Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United."

He added: "We have to be brave and bold, not hide, and although it is a difficult situation we want the players to get on the ball and play their natural game.

"We have to bridge the gap between their ability and ours as best we can. I know how I feel, and I know the players feel the same, they are desperate to change this run.

"It is a challenge, but it was a challenge when most people didn't think we could stay fourth, we managed that and we were told we weren't good enough all the time.

"I know how good we can be. What I am saying to them is 'come on, we want you back up to that standard.' If they don't do that they will be hearing from me.

"I do not believe there is 19 places between the clubs, but the table never lies. Just like it never lied last season when we finished fourth."

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Mak: Blues are the greatest


Claude Makelele says that Chelsea will smash Arsenal's unbeaten record because they are the best team ever - better even than Real Madrid in their prime.

The Gunners hold the Premiership record of 49 league games unbeaten, with the Blues having currently gone 39 matches without defeat.

Makelele has no doubt that they can surge past that figure as he believes Jose Mourinho could put out two teams with the "perfect guarantee of not losing to any club".

The France international midfielder added in the Daily Star: "We'll be able to beat Arsenal's record in England because we have demonstrated that we're superior to them.

"There isn't a team better than Chelsea in the Premiership.

"In the team which set the unbeaten record, Arsenal had six or seven excellent players that took the field in every match.

"But Chelsea have 22 excellent players who are capable of winning any match in any combination.

"The way we beat Bolton last weekend after going behind is a clear example. The team is like a huge steamroller and in a few minutes we can destroy our rivals.

"This Chelsea is better and more solid than the best-ever Real Madrid team.

"At this moment, Mourinho could put out two teams with the perfect guarantee of not losing. This is the best team that I have ever known in my sporting life.

"If we carry on like this, we'll win the championship very calmly."

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Bridge back for Blues


Wayne Bridge returns to the Chelsea squad for the visit of Charlton in the Carling Cup at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.

The holders are still without Damien Duff (knee) and Ricardo Carvalho (concussion), but full-back Bridge is back in the squad for the first time since he broke an ankle against Newcastle in the FA Cup last season.

Striker Carlton Cole is also included in the squad with Carlo Cudicini almost certain to replace Petr Cech in goal.

Chelsea (from): Cech, Cudicini, Johnson, Gallas, Terry, Huth, del Horno, Bridge, Essien, Makelele, Ferreira, Lampard, J Cole, C Cole, Robben, Drogba, Crespo, Wright-Phillips, Geremi, Gudjohnsen.

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Tykes set to capture Watt


Barnsley are set to bolster their defence by bringing in Chelsea starlet Steven Watt on a one-month loan deal, subject to the player passing a medical.

The 20-year-old has come up through the ranks at Stamford Bridge and made his debut for the Premiership champions against Scunthorpe in an FA Cup third round-clash in January 2005.

The Scotland Under-21 international is a regular for the Blues' reserve team and standing at 6ft 3in, he will provide a physical presence at the heart of Andy Ritchie's back-line.

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Bridge over troubled water


Chelsea left-back Wayne Bridge will put eight months of injury heartache behind him when he returns to Jose Mourinho's squad against Charlton in the Carling Cup third round at Stamford Bridge.

The England defender was injured during Chelsea's FA Cup sixth-round defeat at Newcastle in February when he suffered a double fracture of his ankle in a collision with Alan Shearer.

It has been a long and difficult road back for the former Southampton defender, who has worked tirelessly in the gym to return to peak fitness.

The injury ruled him out of the rest of the World Cup qualifiers as England battled to win a place in the finals in Germany next summer.

Sven-Goran Eriksson still believes Bridge can play a part in his plans providing he can regain the form he was showing before his injury.

But while Chelsea's assistant manager Steve Clarke confirmed Bridge will play some part in the game against Charlton on Wednesday night, a place in England's squad for the World Cup may still be a long way off.

"Wayne is in the squad," said Clarke. "To get him back on the pitch will be great because he's worked so hard since his injury.

"It wasn't a simple injury - it was difficult and complicated. I think he's played three or four full reserve games and looks good in training. It is great to have him back in the squad and in contention to play.

"The boy can see the light at the end of the tunnel. He feels within himself that he's fit. He had got over the break and ligament damage but had another problem which kept coming back.

"That was holding his progress back, although it wasn't stopping him training and it was really frustrating for him. Thankfully that has now gone.

"But for Wayne the most important thing is to get back into the Chelsea side first and to be involved on a regular basis in the team and the squad. The England situation will take care of itself from there.

"His return gives us more cover. Asier del Horno has come in and done well and settled quickly into English football but Wayne gives us another top-quality international player."

Bridge's injury required a lot of work to repair the shattered bones but Clarke was adamant it was never going to put an end to his football for good.

"It was never a career-threatening injury," explained Clarke. "It was a horrible incident and it was always going to be a long recovery period but the intention is for him to play some part."

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SAF to dodge Blues targets


Chelsea's financial stranglehold on the Premiership has been emphasised by Sir Alex Ferguson's stark admission there is no point in Manchester United competing for the same players as the champions.

A frustrated Ferguson has seen targets Arjen Robben, Damien Duff and Michael Essien all snub Old Trafford in favour of the Roman Abramovich-backed Londoners, while the belief within United circles is that John Obi Mikel's U-turn over his proposed move to the Red Devils is because he has been told Chelsea are interested in him.

Although new owner Malcolm Glazer has pledged to back a major transfer plunge in January, Ferguson knows he will have to sidestep any targets Chelsea identify, which is why he is placing so much faith in his club's youth system to provide a platform for the future.

"I do not think we would even think about competing with Chelsea," Ferguson told Century FM. "If Chelsea go for a player we are interested in, we are not going to beat them, so there is no point even going for him unless, like Park Ji-sung, they are of a mind to join United.

"But any young player wanting to progress his career should think seriously about joining us because, as our record proves, we do give them a chance."

The latest young talents to roll off the United production line will be on show on Wednesday night, when Ferguson's side entertain League Two strugglers Barnet in the Carling Cup.

For a long time now, the United boss has used the competition to give his fringe players a game.

The tactic has not stopped his side reaching the last four in successive seasons, although with so many injuries to his first-team squad, it is difficult to see this week's inexperienced starting line-up advancing that far without a very favourable draw.

Defenders Adam Eckersley and Danny Simpson, striker Sylvan Ebanks-Blake and midfielder Lee Martin, recruited from Wimbledon for an overall cost of £1m when he was still a schoolboy, are set for their first senior starts, while it was intended to give Gerard Pique and Giuseppe Rossi the opportunity to further their first-team education.

"It will be a very exciting night for these lads," said Ferguson. "I hope the fans will see the years ahead will be very good for these players.

"I am trying to lay the foundations for Manchester United and I want to build something that will last for years, not two minutes."

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No helping hand for Johnson


Chelsea right-back Glen Johnson is already back in training and pushing for a first-team recall despite breaking his hand.

Johnson is not included in Wednesday night's squad for the Carling Cup clash with Charlton at Stamford Bridge.

It had been suggested the England Under-21 international would miss the next two months after damaging the hand.

However, the 21-year-old is only wearing a thin protective cast on his hand during training and left the club's Cobham complex on Tuesday without it.

The club are hopeful the player will be back in contention for a first-team place shortly but allegations the former West Ham defender inflicted the injury on himself by punching a wall at home in anger, remain unconfirmed.

Johnson has failed to establish himself in the first team this season and was left out of the last England Under-21 gathering.

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Blues pay penalty in cup


Click here for match details


Carling Cup holders Chelsea crashed out of the competition after a double blunder by German defender Robert Huth.

Charlton won 5-4 on penalties after Huth missed his spot-kick to add to his error in the first half of normal time.

The 21-year-old gifted Charlton an equaliser when his attempted back-header never reached Italian goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini and Darren Bent nipped in to score his ninth of the season.

The goal cancelled out skipper John Terry's 41st-minute header from Arjen Robben's corner and Huth compounded his first-half mistake by missing Chelsea's second penalty.

Mourinho made seven changes from the side which drew 1-1 with Everton in the Premiership on Sunday but it was still a team brimming with quality internationals.

The draw on Merseyside had ended Chelsea's 100% start to the season and they appeared to be determined to make amends for the blip as Charlton goalkeeper Stephan Andersen was pressed into action as early as the 10th minute.

Right-back Paulo Ferreira, who has failed to start the last four games, let fly with a ferocious 20-yard shot that Andersen did well to punch away to safety.

England left-back Wayne Bridge, starting his first competitive game since breaking an ankle against Newcastle in the FA Cup last February, appeared to show no ill-effects from his long lay-off.

The first quarter, predictably enough, was all Chelsea as Shaun Wright-Phillips and Michael Essien probed the Charlton defence in search of an opening.

In the 22nd minute a sweeping move down the left-flank almost brought the home side an opening goal.

Robben, having a quiet game by his own standards, cleverly fed the overlapping Bridge and the full-back delivered a perfect cross for Hernan Crespo to head narrowly wide of the upright with Andersen beaten.

Two minutes later Crespo was put clear down the left by Essien and Charlton's defence did well to clear the ball for a corner as Chelsea increased the pace.

In the 28th minute Essien was booked for a foul on Bent as the England striker strode purposefully towards the edge of the Chelsea penalty area.

Three minutes later Charlton's Bryan Hughes found himself in Alan Wiley's notebook for pushing Eidur Gudjohnsen as the Icelander prepared to unleash a 20-yard drive.

Charlton, nine points behind Chelsea at the top of the Premiership, finally tested Cudicini when Dennis Rommedahl hit a speculative effort into the Italian's hands from 25 yards but the visitors were rarely troubling Terry and Huth in the home defence.

In the 36th minute, the unmarked Huth should have done better with a header from Robben's corner but the German directed the ball well wide of Andersen's left-hand upright.

Terry showed him how it should be done in the 41st minute when he headed Robben's corner firmly into the net from eight yards to give Chelsea the lead in this third round tie.

But Huth made a dreadful error on the stroke of half-time to gift Charlton an equaliser. The German tried to head the ball back to Cudicini but he did not apply enough power and Bent nipped in to fire past the stranded Italian.

In the 50th minute Terry was only a foot away from scoring his second of the night when his left-foot volley just veered away from Andersen's right-hand post.

Two minutes later, as Chelsea's tempo increased once more, Wright-Phillips sent a low drive wide of the target as Charlton found it difficult to stem the blue tide.

Another delightful three-man move almost brought the success they craved in the 56th minute when Robben and Crespo shared passes before the Dutchman threaded the ball into the path of Gudjohnsen on the edge of the penalty area.

A goal appeared to be the only outcome but Andersen dived low to his left to save the Icelandic striker's shot and keep the scores level.

On the hour Frank Lampard and Joe Cole replaced Bridge and Wright-Phillips and it was the former who had the most impact with two typical long-range shots - one flying just over the crossbar in the 74th and the other into the arms of Andersen three minutes later.

Charlton introduced both Jay Bothroyd and Radostin Kishishev into the action as they sensed an opportunity to steal a memorable victory and five minutes from time Bothroyd produced a stinging shot that Cudicini was forced to punch away for a corner.

But the stalemate could not be broken by either side and the game went into extra-time and then penalties. Charlton scored all five through Bent, Bothroyd, Matt Holland, Hermann Hreidarsson and Hughes but Huth's effort was saved by Andersen to send Charlton through to the fourth round.

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Jose wary of fatigue factor


Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho admits some of his players will feel the effects of their marathon Carling Cup defeat by Charlton this weekend.

The holders crashed out of the competition after a double blunder by German international Robert Huth allowed Charlton to win the tie 5-4 on penalties on Wednesday night.

Bryan Hughes sent Carlo Cudicini the wrong way with the final penalty of the night to put Charlton into the fourth round and leave Mourinho with the problem of lifting his players ahead of their league clash with Rovers at Stamford Bridge.

Mourinho made seven changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Everton at Goodison Park last Sunday and has the relative luxury of recalling the rested Claude Makelele, Asier del Horno and William Gallas.

Frank Lampard, Joe Cole and Didier Drogba also played for one hour or less after coming on as substitutes.

But some of Mourinho's side looked fatigued at the end of the two-hour contest and the Portuguese coach says some of them will find it difficult at Stamford Bridge against Blackburn, who have had an extra day to recover after despatching Leeds in the same competition on Tuesday night.

"Players who play for two hours are tired," Mourinho admitted. "Some of them played for 85 minutes and others for an hour, of course, they ran a lot. When matches go to extra time, the games are broken and there is a lot of space. That means you have to run even more.

"On Saturday, some players will be in quite a difficult situation. Blackburn have had an extra day and they only played for 90 minutes.

"We play one day later and we play for two hours. Gallas, del Horno and Makelele will be back. Some of the boys didn't play for two hours, Lampard and Cole played one hour. But I think we can play with a good team with plenty of energy on Saturday."

Skipper John Terry looked to have put Chelsea on course for another victory when he headed Arjen Robben's corner home in the 41st minute.

But Huth then failed to head the ball back to Italian goalkeeper Cudicini on the stroke of half-time and Darren Bent nipped in to score his ninth of the season.

Neither side could break the deadlock in extra-time and the tie was decided on penalties when Huth's effort was saved by Charlton hero Stephan Andersen.

"We could have won in 90 minutes, we could have won in extra time and on penalties," said Mourinho.

"We know out of the four competitions it is the one with less importance if you can say that. But it wasn't because of that we lost. We respect the competition. We won it last year and we wanted to win it again this year.

"When you go to penalties, anything can happen. But I have no complaints about my players.

"I made the changes I did because I felt some of the boys needed to play and some of the others deserved a rest. I have to trust other people and give them the responsibility of playing in the game. I am not disappointed with them.

"We didn't lose the game. Their goal was a big mistake but the boy (Huth) is a very good player and I trust him. He will have to learn from his mistakes."

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Wenger 'can compete' with Blues


Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger insists his Gunners troops have enough strength in depth to claw back Chelsea's lead at the top of the Premiership.

It was a youthful Gunners side which disposed of Sunderland in their midweek Carling Cup clash at The Stadium of Light, with Emmanuel Eboue opening the scoring and Holland international Robin van Persie, also 22, netting twice.

Wenger, though, will call on his most experienced men for Saturday's north London derby with Tottenham at White Hart Lane, with Jose Antonio Reyes in contention to return from a rib injury and Thierry Henry ready to increase his club record goals tally against the old enemy.

England defender Sol Campbell returned to the starting line-up against Sunderland for the first time since limping out of the World Cup qualifier with Austria earlier this month.

With full-back Ashley Cole still out because of a stress fracture in his foot, the veteran's availability could not have come at a better time and will add some extra spice for the trip back to his old stomping ground.

Midfielders Alexander Hleb (knee) and Freddie Ljungberg (hamstring) are continuing their recovery and when he has all of his men available, Wenger believes there is more than enough talent to compete with the best.

Arsenal currently find themselves in unfamiliar territory in eighth place, but with a game in hand on many of their rivals and they could go second with victory on Saturday as they look to overhaul a 12-point deficit on the leaders.

"I feel that we have a very strong team who can compete with Chelsea," Wenger said. "Since the start of the season we have been hit very hard because we have a very young squad.

"So we are more in a situation where you need your experience to be with you.

"When we have experience with us we are as strong as anyone and we will show that this season."

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Terry: We're ready to battle


Chelsea skipper John Terry has warned the Premiership's chasing pack that bullying tactics will not stop their glory charge.

Terry hit back at claims by Everton's James Beattie that Chelsea could be muscled out of their stride following their 1-1 draw at Goodison Park on Sunday.

Beattie scored from the penalty spot and left Terry nursing a smashed nose after a collision with the Everton striker.

Charlton then sent Carling Cup holders Chelsea crashing out of the competition with a 5-4 win on penalties after the two sides had drawn 1-1 after extra-time.

The two games have given the rest of the Premiership hope that Jose Mourinho's all-conquering side can be stopped.

But Terry, who scored his first goal of the season to put Chelsea 1-0 against Charlton on Wednesday night, was furious about Beattie's claim they were not interested in meeting the challenge of a physical encounter.

"I read that Beattie said they had worked us out and by battling against us, getting amongst us, they were able to equal us an get a result," he said. "Let me make it quite clear that apart from the penalty - and they were lucky to get it because they weren't threatening - they didn't create a chance.

"We had a lot of chances we might have put away. If Beattie or anyone else thinks that by coming and battling and trying to bully us they can get anywhere, the message is clear: 'We're up for it!'

"We can take anyone on in a physical battle and we'll win and then we'll get the ball down and play football and we'll win that as well."

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Bridge lifts lid on nightmare


Chelsea defender Wayne Bridge has revealed the full horror of the ankle injury which put him out of action for eight months.

The left-back returned to competitive action for Chelsea as they crashed out of the Carling Cup to Charlton 5-4 on penalties on Wednesday night.

But while coach Jose Mourinho lost his first game at Stamford Bridge since taking over as Chelsea boss, the biggest boost of the night came from Bridge's successful return to the first team.

The former Southampton defender's career was put on hold when he suffered a broken ankle in a challenge with Newcastle striker Alan Shearer during their FA Cup tie last February.

It has been a difficult and painful road back to full fitness for Bridge but his one-hour contribution against Charlton was a massive step towards returning to the kind of form which propelled him into the England squad.

Bridge has now spoken for the first time of the harrowing moments when he first realised his season was over.

"It was quite serious," he admitted. "I broke the fibula which isn't so bad but the ankle almost came away from the leg. I ripped all the ligaments bar one. It was hanging on by one ligament.

"They couldn't operate for about two weeks because there was so much swelling and bleeding. We had to wait for the bleeding to go down. I had to spend a week or so in hospital before they could operate."

Bridge's rehabilitation was made worse as he watched Chelsea storm to victory in the Carling Cup final against Liverpool.

After months of painstaking physiotherapy and gym work, the left-back is finally back where he belongs and he has managed to do it earlier than planned.

"They said I wouldn't really be training until September," said Bridge. "They told me how nasty it was and to get it into my head that I wouldn't be playing until then.

"But everything was going so quickly. I was walking quickly, I was running and playing far before they expected, but the last few steps have taken a little longer."

Bridge certainly played before anyone expected him to when he got 45 minutes against DC United on the club's pre-season tour of America.

However, that decision only managed to upset the surgeon who had operated on his smashed ankle.

"When we were in America I remember the doctor telling me after I had played that the surgeon had phoned up to ask what the hell was going on. But he told him that I felt good, it wasn't perfect and I could train, run about and do most things."

It is a big year for most players at Chelsea with the World Cup finals coming up in Germany next summer and Bridge was expected to play a part before his injury.

Coach Sven-Goran Eriksson still believes Bridge can make it if he can reproduce his best form between now and the end of the season but the player is just happy he's not been forgotten. The pair spoke briefly on Eriksson's recent visit to the Chelsea training complex at Cobham.

"I've heard he's said that he wants me in the World Cup squad if I'm fit but I haven't seen that," admitted Bridge. "He just asked me how I was getting on and was pleased to see I was doing so well."

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Hughes ready to prove critics wrong


Mark Hughes leads his buoyant Blackburn side to Stamford Bridge on Saturday with the reaction to last season's Ewood Park battle with Chelsea still ringing in his ears.

Rovers are yet to fully shake off the indisciplined tag which attached itself after Jose Mourinho's scathing comments following the Blues' hard-fought 1-0 win in February.

Mourinho's claim that Rovers resorted to a "nasty" brand of football clearly riled Hughes and led to his side's style and disciplinary record being put under the microscope.

Hughes said: "There was a lot said and written after that game and I don't think we got enough credit for the way we played on the night.

"The injury to Arjen Robben clouded people's views of the way they reported the game and we have suffered the consequences of that since.

"We are obviously a team that can cause others problems but people really jumped on the bandwagon and wouldn't let the view they had of us drop.

"We have been trying to change people's minds ever since and the only we can do it is on the field of play."

Hughes believes he has made great strides in ridding Rovers of the criticism since that defeat to a late Robben goal in particular after a week of consecutive wins and a surge into the top 10 of the Barclays Premiership.

"I don't think too many people give anybody much of a chance against Chelsea these days but if ever we were going to have an opportunity it is probably now given the run of results and performances we have put in lately.

"We have proved this season we can go to the big venues like Old Trafford and get positive results. It is a big test but it is a chance to judge how far away we are from the top sides and hopefully we might surprise ourselves."

Hughes has another reason to want to put one over Mourinho's men as he bids to erase the memory of the 4-0 loss at Stamford Bridge a year ago which marked one of his blackest days as Rovers boss.

That hammering was the only time Rovers have lost at Stamford Bridge in the Premiership and Hughes admitted: "That was the lowest point since I came to the club.

"We were physically and mentally not good enough and from that point onwards we had to address it very quickly and we have done. We are a completely different team now."

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Blues not afraid to fight - Mourinho


Jose Mourinho went out of his way to avoid increasing the hype before Chelsea's clash with Blackburn at Stamford Bridge on Saturday but still delivered a forceful retort to the Premiership teams who believe they can kick them out of the game.

It has been a difficult week for the Portuguese coach and one he has certainly not been used to since taking charge of Chelsea.

A draw against bottom club Everton last Sunday was followed by a defeat on penalties to Charlton in the Carling Cup on Wednesday night.

Those two results, he claimed, gave everyone in the country what they were hoping for - Chelsea to stop winning and he added that a national holiday was likely to be ordered when they were eventually beaten in the Premiership.

"Two draws is not a drama," responded Mourinho. "Of course the second draw left us out of one competition but the draw in the Premiership was normal.

"Everybody was crying because we kept on winning and winning so the draw at Goodison Park made more people happy and gave them a bit more hope. Everybody was waiting for Chelsea not to win every game and one day, when we lose, there will be a holiday in the country. But we are ready for that.

"We never said we would beat everybody, we never said we were unbeatable. We never said this kind of thing. The only thing we think and keep saying is that we are the best team.

"Because we are the best team, we win more times than other teams. We are not saying we are unbeatable or supermen, so a draw is normal and one defeat is normal. But nobody in this country is doing as well as we are doing."

Last season's clash at Ewood Park, which Chelsea won 1-0, ended with Mourinho accusing Blackburn's players of trying to kick his men out of the game.

The Football Association later charged both teams with failing to control their players following a mass brawl on the pitch - sparked by Paul Dickov's late challenge on goalkeeper Petr Cech.

The heated game was responsible for four separate fracas and, after Everton's physical approach earned them a point against Chelsea last Sunday, there has been much speculation that Blackburn will again try to unsettle the champions with their full-blooded style.

Everton striker James Beattie claimed the only way to stop Chelsea was for teams to out-muscle them but Mourinho, trying hard not to be dragged into a war of words, made it abundantly clear that other teams should not treat his side as 'little kids afraid of a fight'.

"I think what James Beattie said is not true," retorted Mourinho. "James Beattie had one touch of the ball in 90 minutes. He scored from the penalty spot - a beautiful penalty. There was no chance for the 'keeper so it was an important shot. But he didn't touch the ball in the rest of the game.

"So John Terry was afraid of James Beattie or Robert Huth was afraid of Duncan Ferguson - I don't think so.

"I think we are ready for everything. We played against Everton, we didn't win but we had no problems. We played against Bolton, a very physical and strong team, with no problems. We played twice against Liverpool, who are a very physical team with no problems.

"If they think we are little kids afraid of the fight, they are very very wrong."

Mourinho's warning was matched with a hint that he will be looking for the help of the match official if tomorrow's match descends into another ill-tempered affair.

"What we are not is a dirty team," said Mourinho. "We are ready for physical teams. We can cope with it, we can cope with aerial battles, we can cope with people who like to press a lot, we are ready for that.

"Blackburn have some different players, they play a little bit different. We know the way they play and what we have to do.

"Maybe they change the way they play against us. We know the best way to get a result is to think about ourselves and to perform and forget what they are.

"We have no bad feelings, we just want to win. The way they play is not our problem. That is something they have to answer. They have to answer their critics and change if they want to change. They have to carry on if it is something they believe in. We are not worried or obsessed by them. We just think we are the best team and have to perform to get the points.

"They can approach the game like they want to and we will do the same. The referee is there to defend the law and the spirit of the game, so we are not worried."

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Three amigos back for Blues


Jose Mourinho will recall rested stars Claude Makelele, Asier del Horno and William Gallas for the visit of Blackburn to Stamford Bridge.

All three were omitted from the side which crashed out of the Carling Cup to Charlton on penalties on Wednesday night.

On the injury front, Mourinho is without reserve right-back Glen Johnson (hand) and Damien Duff (knee) while defender Ricardo Carvalho should be fit to return after recovering from a bout of concussion. Fit-again left-back Wayne Bridge is also included in the squad.

Chelsea (from): Cech, Cudicini, Ferreira, Gallas, Geremi, Terry, Carvalho, del Horno, Bridge, Makelele, Lampard, Essien, Gudjohnsen, C Cole, J Cole, Robben, Wright-Phillips, Drogba, Crespo, Huth.

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City: Shaun reneged on deal


Manchester City chairman John Wardle has claimed Shaun Wright-Phillips went back on his word when he decided to join Chelsea in the summer.

Wright-Phillips eventually moved to Stamford Bridge in a £21m deal after dramatically pulling out of a pre-season friendly at Macclesfield, then phoning Wardle as he left Moss Rose to inform him of his desire to leave.

During the conversation, Wright-Phillips contradicted early assurances he had given Wardle that he intended to stay with City, leaving the Blues owner with little alternative other than to let him quit the club who signed him as a trainee after Nottingham Forest rejected him for being too small.

"It was with great reluctance that this sale was undertaken," said Wardle.

"Indeed, the transaction was only sanctioned after, to my great surprise, Shaun contradicted personal assurances that he wanted to remain at Manchester City and dramatically, on the eve of our friendly against Macclesfield, informed me that his perspective had changed and he wished to move to Chelsea."

Despite losing their best player just three weeks before the season started, City have made light of Wright-Phillips' departure and head into the weekend fixtures in sixth spot.

Wardle heaps much of the credit for that situation onto the shoulders of manager Stuart Pearce, who has been an unqualified success since replacing Kevin Keegan in March.

Pearce exceeded all expectations last term when he guided the Blues to within a missed Robbie Fowler penalty of a place in the Uefa Cup and although they have lost three of their last five Premiership fixtures and tumbled out of the Carling Cup to League Two Doncaster, Wardle has nothing but praise for the former England skipper's contribution.

"I cannot speak highly enough of the comprehensive impact made by Stuart Pearce," he said.

"He immediately galvanised the playing squad, with a style based on hard work, discipline and honesty and had taken a real interest in every aspect of our football club.

"His appointment as manager was the catalyst for a change in our fortunes and his passion and vigour perfectly compliments our enthusiasm and ambition."

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Claudio's Tynecastle hopes


Former Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri says SPL leaders Hearts are likely to appoint a new manager on Monday - and he is hoping they choose him.

The Italian, who was axed by Valencia earlier this year after just eight months in charge has held talks with owner Vladimir Romanov about replacing George Burley.

Ranieri said: "I confirm that I was in Scotland to talk with the directors of Hearts. They are interested in contracting me.

"I won't feel foreign at all because this is where football comes from.

"We spoke a lot about projects and sporting questions but didn't finalise anything.

"I know that they have other candidates but according to what they have told me their response won't be past Monday."

But despite insisting he did not want more influence on the dressing room, Romanov has revealed he issued a rallying call to the players before the midweek win over Kilmarnock.

He said: "I talked to them several times.

"I was told: 'it is a stupid idea, don't do it'. There was a kind of revolution there.

"But I just decided: 'Let's ignore the warnings and I will go and talk to them'.

"It wasn't very easy because the players said to me later they are not used to such sessions with the owner.

"I said: 'What you are doing is fantastic now and if you keep winning it will give me time to make a good choice of new coach and to set up a new system', because I don't think the old one works properly."

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Argentina include Crespo


Chelsea striker Hernan Crespo has been selected for the Argentina squad to face England in an international friendly in Geneva on 12 November.

Coach Jose Pekerman has called on a strong squad for his team's double-header, with the South Americans also taking on Qatar four days later.

Young Barcelona star Lionel Messi remains in the squad, while Julio Cruz and Javier Saviola return to the international set-up.

And Daniel Bilos, a left-sided attacking midfielder who plays for Argentinian giants Boca Juniors, has received his first call-up.

Due to his parents, the 25-year-old also qualified to play for Croatia.

Their national team coach Zlatko Kranjcar had expressed his interest in the midfielder, but the player preferred to wait for a call-up from Pekerman.

Squad: Roberto Abbondanzieri (Boca Juniors), Leonardo Franco (Atletico Madrid, Spain); Roberto Ayala (Valencia, Spain), Gabriel Milito (Real Zaragoza, Spain), Fabricio Coloccini (Deportivo La Coruna, Spain), Walter Samuel, Javier Zanetti (both Inter Milan, Italy), Martin Demichelis (Bayern Munich, Germany), Diego Placente (Celta Vigo, Spain), Juan Pablo Sorin (Villarreal, Spain); Sebastian Battaglia, Daniel Bilos (both Boca Juniors), Esteban Cambiasso (Inter Milan), Mario Santana (Palermo, Italy), Luis Oscar Gonzalez (Porto, Portugal), Maximiliano Rodriguez (Atletico Madrid), Juan Roman Riquelme (Villarreal), Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Spain); Carlos Tevez (Corinthians, Brazil), Javier Saviola (Sevilla, Spain), Hernan Crespo (Chelsea, England), Julio Cruz (Inter Milan).

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Ajax sign up starlets


Ajax have signed a trio of their most promising players on long-term contracts in an effort to ward off interest from Chelsea.

Jeffrey Sarpong and John Goossens, both 17, have signed three-year deals with the Dutch giants after reportedly being linked with the Premiership club earlier this year.

Murat Yildirim, 18, has also agreed a three-year deal with the Amsterdam club.

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Ferguson targets Chelsea


Sir Alex Ferguson has demanded victories at home and abroad to set Manchester United up to 'get at' Chelsea next weekend.

The Premiership champions visit Old Trafford on 6 November knowing United's need for victory is acute given the current nine-point gap between the sides.

But, for the first time since Jose Mourinho took charge at Stamford Bridge, there appears to be a chink in Chelsea's armour.

Sunday's surprise draw at Everton was followed by a shock Carling Cup exit to Charlton in midweek, which Ferguson hopes could be the start of a blip he waited all last season for but which never came.

If the Scot is right, he knows his own team must be in a position to take maximum advantage of the title holders' vulnerability.

And that means winning at Middlesbrough in the Premiership this evening and then in the Champions League return with Lille on Wednesday.

"Teams have runs, they have blips and they hit bad spells," said Ferguson. "It comes to everyone eventually.

"But the most important thing we can do is win our next two games. Then we can look at the Chelsea match in a different light.

"Then we can say we are ready for them, let's get at them. I think we will be."

Despite dropping another two points to Tottenham last week, Ferguson at least knows his side are capable of turning on the style away from Old Trafford.

United have picked up 13 points from five matches on their travels so far this term, and are looking to complete a north-east hat-trick tonight after beating Newcastle and Sunderland already.

Louis Saha misses out even though scans have revealed he did not suffer a torn hamstring in training this week, but Wes Brown and Kieran Richardson are added to the squad after coming through Wednesday's Carling Cup defeat of Barnet unscathed.

The best the England pair can hope for is probably a seat on the bench as United look to seal their third successive win at the Riverside.

Ferguson will be wary, though, as his old assistant Steve McClaren does have an excellent record against United

Boro have taken points off the Red Devils in every season since McClaren quit Old Trafford and although the Teessiders' form has been patchy so far this term, their progress has been so rapid over the past few years it is little wonder their manager is being touted as a possible successor to England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson.

Ferguson is too experienced to get involved in a debate over the likelihood of such a scenario, but felt McClaren was destined for big things when he lured him from Derby to be his number two during the 1999 treble campaign.

"Steve has a lot of great qualities," said Ferguson.

"When he left me I was quite confident he would do well as a manager.

"He has introduced an excellent youth system at Middlesbrough and gives those young players a chance."

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Jose: Rivals need fortune


Jose Mourinho has warned the rest of the Premiership that the only way they can stop Chelsea winning is to rely on a dose of good luck against them.

The Portuguese coach also responded to Everton striker James Beattie's claim that the best way to stop Chelsea is to out-muscle them by suggesting that he paid more attention to his poor goal record at Goodison Park instead.

Mourinho has suffered a difficult week with a 1-1 draw against bottom club Everton being followed by a defeat on penalties to Charlton in the Carling Cup on Wednesday night.

But Mourinho insisted that the side which finally ends their unbeaten league run will need to stock up on their luck or hope that his side have an unlikely off day.

Mourinho, preparing for Saturday's game with Blackburn at Stamford Bridge, declared: "The best way to beat Chelsea is to be lucky. Because we are strong in every aspect of the game I don't think there is a way to stop us playing and winning.

"Teams have to play very well and to be lucky. But when I say they have to play very well, I don't think there is a way of playing against us.

"You cannot say the way to beat Chelsea is to play counter-attack because we have very fast players and we are a very good team at recovering the lost ball.

"You cannot say the way to beat Chelsea is to kick long balls up the field and play a direct game because we've proved that we can cope with it.

"You cannot say the best way to beat Chelsea is to have a go and attack, to try to win the game directly, because we are very strong on the counter-attack and can kill the opponent with it.

"Everton tried to play two strikers and long balls, what problems did they give us? No problems - not one header."

Mourinho's most stinging retort, though, was reserved for striker Beattie, whose penalty earned Everton a draw against Chelsea last Sunday.

It brought an end to Chelsea's winning start to the season but Beattie's suggestion that Mourinho's men could be out-fought was met with a curt response.

"James Beattie should be worried about being at a club for one year and scoring two goals," he replied. "He should worry about that and not what Chelsea are doing."

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Cole eyes another big Euro night


Joe Cole hopes to rekindle his love affair with the Champions League when Chelsea look to seal qualification for the next phase of the competition against Real Betis on Tuesday night.

Cole says the competition helped him make his name on the European and world stage last season when Chelsea extinguished Barcelona's Champions league dreams.

The former West Ham midfielder was exceptional on a night when Chelsea defeated Frank Rijkaard's side 4-2 at Stamford Bridge to win 6-3 on aggregate.

Cole was delighted to be part of the Chelsea side who clinched their first top flight title for 50 years last season, but insists it is glory in the Champions League which really drives him on.

Chelsea currently sit on top of Group G ahead of Liverpool on goal difference and success in Seville will be enough to reach the knockout stages.

But Cole already has his eyes firmly fixed on going further than the semi-final place Chelsea reached last season before going out to a disputed goal against Liverpool.

He said: "Winning the Premiership title last season was a fantastic feeling for me.

"But looking forward I have always dreamed about winning the Champions League and we are desperate to go all the way this season after the disappointment of last year.

"The best game for me last year would have to be the home game against Barcelona. It wasn't just because of the way I played, but the way the team played.

"I did everything the manager wanted me to do and it was a great night for everyone. It was also probably the night I realised I had arrived on the European and world stage.

"People had been talking about me for a long time but that night they saw what I was capable of doing.

"It proved a big milestone for me and it always puts a smile on my face when I think about that night.

"I would love to repeat a game like that again and go once stage further this time around. It is what we are trying to achieve here."

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Jose: Lamps is world's best


Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho hailed England's Frank Lampard as the best player in the world after his superb performance against Blackburn.

The midfielder took his tally of league goals to 100 with two against Rovers as Chelsea threw away a two-goal lead and still came back to end a difficult week on a high note with a 4-2 triumph.

Mourinho's side dropped their first points of the season in a 1-1 draw with Everton on Sunday but they remain nine points clear at the top of the Premiership thanks to a super show from Lampard - who is just three short of breaking David James' record of 159 consecutive games in the top flight.

"I don't see how he can improve because for me he is the best player in the world at the moment," declared Mourinho. "I don't know what the people who organise these world awards do at the weekends because only English people recognise what this player is.

"He was the best player in the Premiership last season and you have some great players in the world but they play one game a month. This player is top in every game.

"I would not change him for another player because he does everything. His defence is incredible, he can pass over a long distance, he can pass over short distances, he's professional, he can score goals over long distance, how can he improve? I just hope he carries on because he deserves to break the record for consecutive appearances in the Premier League.

"David James has the record and he is a keeper. That is completely different because a keeper has more chances to play."

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Super Frank sinks Rovers


Click here for match details


Chelsea threw away a two-goal first-half lead against Blackburn but stormed back to end a difficult week on a high note as Jose Mourinho's men continue to look unstoppable at the top of the Premiership.

Two goals inside the first 13 minutes from Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard had put Chelsea on course for a rout but a brace from Craig Bellamy - his second courtesy of a dreadful error from Blues keeper Petr Cech - had levelled matters by the interval.

Lampard rescued the Blues with a superb second-half free-kick and a fourth from Joe Cole ensured Mourinho's men maintain their healthy lead at the top of the table.

After a week when Mourinho's side had dropped their first points in the Premiership against rock-bottom Everton and been dumped out of the Carling Cup by Charlton, Chelsea produced the perfect response.

It took them just 10 minutes to take the lead as Blackburn's defensive frailties were cruelly exposed. Blackburn failed to clear Lampard's initial corner and when the England midfielder returned the ball into the middle once more, Drogba steered a clever near-post header beyond the stationary Brad Friedel.

Two minutes later it got even better for the home side when they increased their advantage from the penalty spot.

Blackburn captain Andy Todd brought down John Terry as the Chelsea defender tried to get his head to Lampard's corner and Riley immediately pointed to the spot. Lampard converted the spot-kick to put the Blues in complete control and take his tally for the season into double figures.

However, Blackburn earned themselves a lifeline in the 18th minute when Ricardo Carvalho brought down Zurab Khizanishvili in the penalty area and Craig Bellamy scored from the spot.

Blackburn's goal had taken some of the sting out of Chelsea's attacking desire and for the first time in the game, the home side were forced to concede bouts of possession to their opponents.

In the 36th minute Brett Emerton forced Petr Cech to five low to his right to keep out a fierce drive after the Dutchman had engineered the opening with a lucky deflection off Claude Makelele.

Chelsea were now finding it difficult to rediscover the form they showed in the first quarter but Blackburn lacked the guile and creativity to profit from the lull in the home side's attacking flair.

Bellamy was often left to forage for scraps on his own in attack but they equalised thanks to a dreadful individual error from Cech.

The Czech international attempted to clear a back pass from Asier del Horno but only succeeded in slicing the ball high inside his own penalty area.

Shefki Kuqi beat Terry in the air and when the ball bounced free, Bellamy ran on to head the ball under the red-faced Cech for the leveller.

Bellamy's brace meant Chelsea had conceded two goals at home in the Premiership for the first time since Bolton achieved the feat last November.

But the home side were determined to restore their advantage and for the first few minutes after the re-start their attacking flair returned with a flourish.

Lampard forced Friedel to go down low to his right to stop a trademark 20-yard effort from sneaking inside the right-hand post while Drogba could not direct a free header beyond the Blackburn keeper from six yards.

Blackburn manager Mark Hughes then displayed his displeasure with one of referee Riley's decisions by kicking the physio's bag on the touchline.

Fourth official Trevor Kettle was not impressed with the way Hughes let off steam and brought the matter to Riley's attention. The official immediately responded by sending the Blackburn boss out of the dug out.

Meanwhile, the tempers continued to increase in line with the tempo of the game and Morten Gamst Pedersen found himself in Riley's notebook after a a challenge on Wright-Phillips in the 58th minute.

Four minutes later Tugay was shown the yellow card for hauling down Lampard and it was a costly error for Rovers as the England midfielder picked himself and fired home a 25-yard free- kick.

The fabulous strike was the 100th league goal of his glittering career and took his tally for the season to 11. Minutes later he almost began work on the next century of goals when he he sent a 20-yard shot just wide of Friedel's left-hand upright.

In the 74th minute, Chelsea made the game safe when Cole's 20-yard shot was deflected into the net by Blackburn's Khizanishvili.

However, the champions almost conceded a third moments later when Bellamy spurned the chance of a hat-trick by firing over the bar with just Cech to beat.

But Chelsea remained in complete control and Mourinho's boast that they will be champions this season looks ominously accurate.

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Betis planning Chelsea surprise


Real Betis coach Lorenzo Serra Ferrer has not given up hope of inflicting a surprise defeat on Chelsea when the two sides meet in the Champions League on Tuesday.

The Premiership champions produced one of their most complete displays of the season in the 4-0 thrashing of Serra Ferrer's side on 19 October.

Betis' European campaign, which has seen them win just one of their opening three Group H games, has mirrored their form in the Primera Liga, where they lie a disappointing 16th after 10 matches.

But even though Serra Ferrer is set to be without key players such as Marcos Assuncao, David Rivas, Miguel Angel and Luis Fernandez, he insists Tuesday's game is certainly not a foregone conclusion.

"We will try," he said. "Chelsea are a very good team.

"But sometimes things that you are not expecting to happen do happen when you don't think they will and you can never lose hope of getting a good result."

Betis' latest league defeat - their third in succession - came at the hands of Real Madrid on Sunday.

The capital club secured a 2-0 win at the Manuel Ruiz de Lopera stadium thanks to second-half goals by Robinho and Alvaro Mejia

But Serra Ferrer believes his team, which was also shorn of suspended duo Joaquin Sanchez and Melli against Madrid, are not playing as poorly as their current situation suggests.

"Against Real Madrid, we were not far off playing in the way we wanted to against what is a great team," he added.

"We are not far off getting what we are looking for, but you have to bear in mind that we were missing six or seven players.

"Some players have seen luck desert them, but we can't spend our time looking for excuses."

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Blues refute bonus claims


Chelsea have denied making any illegal bonus payments to their former striker Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink.

In comments reported in one of the Sunday newspapers, the Dutchman claims he was paid a bonus sum, said to be around £50,000, by billionaire owner Roman Abramovich for helping Chelsea beat Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-final in March 2004.

But the reigning champions and current leaders of the Premiership moved swiftly to counter any allegation of wrongdoing.

A Chelsea statement read: "No payments have been made to any Chelsea player in breach of the Premier League or Football Association regulations.

"The Premier League contacted Chelsea about this at the time and were made fully aware of the situation. There is nothing to investigate."

It is illegal, under Premier League rules, to offer players increased bonus payments once the season has started.

Chelsea vehemently deny any wrongdoing and state any payments made to their players were not in breach of their contracts with the club.

Hasselbaink left Chelsea to join Middlesbrough in July 2004.

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Mourinho hits out at Wenger


Jose Mourinho has responded to Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger's recent criticism of his side by suggesting the Frenchman "has a problem" with Chelsea.

Mourinho watched his side throw away a two-goal first-half lead against Blackburn at Stamford Bridge on Saturday before storming back to record their 10th win in 11 Premiership games with two second-half strikes.

But Wenger's almost constant comments concerning Mourinho's men prompted the Portuguese coach to break his own diplomatic silence.

Wenger had suggested Chelsea had lost some of their 'belief' and were in the midst of a 'stutter' during a week when they dropped their first Premiership points in a 1-1 draw with Everton last Sunday and crashed out of the Carling Cup to Charlton on penalties in midweek.

"He has a problem with us you know," countered Mourinho. "He is always looking for us, always thinking about us, always speaking about Chelsea, I don't know what is happening to him.

"Maybe he wants my job - to leave Arsenal and come here because he is always speaking about Chelsea. I think he has a love situation with Chelsea."

Mourinho's response came after his side had demolished Blackburn with another stunning display.

After a difficult week, Chelsea responded in style with two goals in the opening 13 minutes - a header from Didier Drogba and a penalty from Frank Lampard.

But Blackburn hauled themselves level before half-time with a brace from Wales international Craig Bellamy. He scored from the penalty spot before capitalising on a hashed clearance by goalkeeper Petr Cech to head them level.

But Mourinho's side moved up a gear in the second half and Lampard notched the 100th goal of his career with a curling free-kick before a deflected effort from Joe Cole in the 74th minute made the points safe and kept Chelsea nine points clear of Wigan at the top of the table.

Blackburn manager Mark Hughes was sent to the stand by referee Mike Riley for kicking the physio's bag in an effort to display his displeasure with a number of the official's decisions.

Hughes claims he was confused as to why he had been sent from the dug out but Mourinho insisted managers should act with more calmness even though he understands the pressures involved.

"We shouldn't lose our control," insists Mourinho. "We are more experienced than the players, we are older than the players and we are an example for them. But we are also human beings and we can make those kind of mistakes."

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Fergie - We can catch Chelsea


Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson still insists his side are capable of providing a challenge to Chelsea in the Premiership.

The 4-1 defeat to Middlesbrough on Saturday left the Red Devils 13 points behind Jose Mourinho's side.

"There is a great fascination about our results and how we play and this is just another page in the history of Manchester United," Ferguson admitted.

"At the moment, no-one is putting together any kind of consistent form which would provide a challenge to Chelsea.

"I think a lot of people are hoping we are the team who can beat them and, of course, with the ability in our team, that is certainly possible."

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Hughes hits back at Chelsea


Blackburn boss Mark Hughes accused Chelsea of stirring up the row over last season's ill-tempered game at Ewood Park with a number of comments in their matchday programme.

Hughes was sent from the dug-out by referee Mike Riley in the second half of his side's 4-2 defeat by the champions at Stamford Bridge for kicking the physio's bag in an effort to display his displeasure with a number of the official's decisions.

"We had five players booked which reflects badly on us but it was never that kind of game," Hughes said. "Maybe he [Riley] was possibly shaped by the comments in the programme which I was a little bit upset about.

"I thought the things said in the programme were a little bit wrong. Referees are only human and maybe they read the programme. It's annoying because every time we play Arsenal or Chelsea, this stuff gets dragged up and we have to try to defend ourselves."

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Kenyon wants cleaner image


Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon wants the Premiership champions to rid themselves of the "rebel" tag which he fears could hamper their development into a global brand.

Kenyon admits a variety of factors have caused a degree of unpopularity among other clubs and supporters, including the controversial 'tapping-up' affair involving Ashley Cole as well as the financial power the club wields since Roman Abramovich's arrival.

The former Manchester United chief executive realises the club must try to distance themselves from their controversial image if they are to achieve global dominance within the game.

He told The Independent: "Perhaps at the moment we are seen as a bit of a rebel and that's not an objective, we don't want to be seen as that.

"There are several reasons for it; the Ashley Cole issue, the fact that we have had so much success so quickly and displaced some of the traditional clubs up there, the impact of Jose Mourinho and the fact that the owner is extremely wealthy."

As is common in modern-day football, the Blues are looking to explore every marketing opportunity and build the profile of the club, and Kenyon insists they want to embrace the 'establishment' rather than distance themselves from it.

"What I can assure you of is that we want to work within the system," he said. "We are far from rebels and want to do everything we can to make the industry strong because that's fundamental to any English club being strong.

"One of our first priorities is to make sure the Premier League retains its presence because that's such a big marketing tool for us. We have managed over the last 10 years to make sure that Italian football, German football and Spanish football is second to Premier League football.

"That is a big priority for myself and my team."

Kenyon wants to take advantage of the club's London pedigree but first admits the club must "own" the capital before looking further afield.

"The importance of London is critical in our strategy. London today is one of the top three cities in the world. The first objective is to own London," he added.

"When we talk about internationalising the brand, the first thing we want to do is get critical mass within our own territory, then start to build internationally."

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Jose slams voyeur Wenger


Jose Mourinho has urged Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger to concentrate on improving his own club's results before talking about Chelsea.

Mourinho was infuriated by Wenger's decision to comment about Chelsea's 1-1 draw at Everton last Sunday and their Carling Cup loss to Charlton on penalties in midweek.

The Portuguese coach responded by suggesting the Arsenal chief is clearly rattled by their success.

Wenger insisted that some of the belief disappeared from Chelsea after those two results and that hope had been restored to those clubs involved in trying to catch the runaway leaders of the Premiership.

But the Chelsea chief wasted no time in rebuffing Wenger's remarks after watching his side destroy Blackburn 4-2 at Stamford Bridge to make it 10 wins out of 11 in the league this season.

"I think he is one of these people who is a voyeur," said Mourinho. "He likes to watch other people.

"There are some guys who, when they are at home, they have a big telescope to see what happens in other families. He speaks and speaks and speaks about Chelsea.

"It bothers me because the guy is speaking all the time. We never speak about them.

"You can do it when you are top and you have a big morale. When you are on game number 11 and you still can't win away from home, and when you are without Thierry Henry and he can't win a game, he should be worried about them.

"He's worried about us, he's always talking about us. It's Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea.

"I might be worried if my team made a defensive mistake. I shouldn't be worried about what Arsenal did at Tottenham. They are always speaking about the other families.

"I don't know if he wants my job, I don't know. He loves Chelsea."

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Mourinho wants to stamp out errors


Jose Mourinho has vowed to stamp out the errors which have prompted critics to suggest his side are letting their standards slip.

Chelsea have conceded six goals in their last six games and the Portuguese coach accepts that most of them have resulted from individual mistakes.

But while Mourinho, preparing his side for Tuesday night's Champions League game against Real Betis in Seville, admits Chelsea have hit the self-destruct button in defence, fit again Irish winger Damien Duff insists there was never any talk of a crisis among the players.

Chelsea's critics, including Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, have been quick to suggest Mourinho's side had lost some of their self-belief after drawing with Everton in the Premiership and crashing out of the Carling Cup on penalties to Charlton four days later.

Mourinho maintains the time has come for Chelsea to return to the kind of defensive form which saw them go the first six league games of the season without conceding.

"There is always space for improvement," declared Mourinho. "When I look back on the last few weeks, I was surprised with some defensive mistakes we made.

"But one month ago I would have said we were defending perfectly. We were breaking records but suddenly, in the last few matches, we have made mistakes.

"We made a mistake for the penalty at Everton, we made a mistake for the goal against Charlton, we made two mistakes against Blackburn and another one against Bolton. We are conceding too many goals compared with the past, so the secret is to improve in certain areas."

Shaun Wright-Phillips, German international defender Robert Huth and Czech goalkeeper Petr Cech have been the main culprits of Chelsea's recent spate of individual blunders.

Wright-Phillips gave away the penalty at Everton, while Huth and Cech made errors that led to goals and they have infuriated the Chelsea coach.

Chelsea's last two clean sheets have both been achieved in the Champions League where they have yet to concede goal.

While Mourinho knows he must tighten up on costly errors, he has been boosted by the amazing return of Duff.

The Republic of Ireland winger injured his knee during their 1-0 victory over Cyprus and underwent surgery on his cartilage immediately after returning to Chelsea.

The Irishman missed his country's draw with Switzerland in their final World Cup qualifier and the injury has prevented him from playing in Chelsea's last five games.

But Duff, who returned to full-time training last Thursday, is now ready to play against Betis.

Mourinho confirmed the winger will play some part in the game but declined to say whether he would start.

Duff is adamant the squad do not feel there is a crisis in the making at Stamford Bridge.

"Last week was disappointing," admitted Duff.

"I think many people were seeing it as a crisis, or a mini crisis, but we weren't.

"We didn't feel that way at all it was only two draws, it shows how strong we are to bounce back in the way we did against Blackburn last Saturday.

"We were still positive. We had worst points during last season. The way we looked at it was that they were only two draws."

Mourinho was full of praise for the player and for the club's medical staff who have helped to get the Irishman back quicker than anyone expected.

"Damien is a great player and a special character," said Mourinho.

"He is very important for us and a great example of how important it is to be a tough guy to recover from surgery like he did.

"The medical department is brilliant and worked incredibly well with him. It is a big award for them to have got him ready to play tomorrow and for sure he will play."

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Duff set for Chelsea return


Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho has confirmed that Republic of Ireland winger Damien Duff will play against Real Betis after recovering from his cartilage injury.

Duff has been out since 2 October after undergoing surgery on a knee he injured on international duty.

Duff may well start Tuesday's game, with Joe Cole on the other flank, as Chelsea look to seal qualification to the knockout phase with victory in Group G of the Champions League in Seville.

Glen Johnson is out with a damaged hand and Hernan Crespo has not travelled after collecting an injury in the win over Blackburn.

Chelsea (from): Cech, Cudicini, Gallas, Ferreira, Terry, Huth, Carvalho, Del Horno, Geremi, Essien, Makelele, Robben, Duff, Lampard, Drogba, J Cole, C Cole, Wright-Phillips, Gudjohnsen.

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Duff sets sights on top prize


Damien Duff is desperate for success in the Champions League to make up for the heartache of missing out on next summer's World Cup.

Chelsea's Republic of Ireland winger returns to action against Real Betis after recovering from cartilage surgery.

Duff was injured playing for the Irish against Cyprus in their penultimate World Cup qualifier and missed their final match against Switzerland as a result. The goalless draw against the Swiss meant Ireland lost out on a place in next summer's World Cup finals in Germany and no-one felt the agony more than Duff.

"It's a huge disappointment for me knowing that I am not going to the World Cup," conceded the Irishman. "It's a massive stage but Chelsea is number one and always has been. It is a huge disappointment not to be going but I am looking forward to the rest of the season.

"The Champions League means I am playing against some of the best players in the world and it has more prominence for me because I am not going to the World Cup.

"I have been at Chelsea for two-and-a-half years now and they have been exciting times. So when I am going to be missing out with Ireland in the World Cup next summer, it is even more important for me."

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Drogba speaks out over loss


Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has spoken for the first time about the loss of his cousin through leukaemia last week.

Drogba wore a black armband during Chelsea's 4-2 victory over Blackburn as a mark of respect for his memory.

The Ivory Coast striker scored Chelsea's first goal against Rovers and immediately dedicated the strike to the child who had the disease.

"I was happy to score against Blackburn because I had to do it for my cousin who died last week," said Drogba. "It was a difficult week for me but more difficult for his family.

"It is a drama for all the families who have children or a member of the family who is fighting to stay alive."

Drogba, speaking on Chelsea TV ahead of the Champions League clash with Real Betis in Seville, revealed how he had been planning to take his cousin for treatment in France but was just too late.

"I tried to do everything for him and to get him to France for the treatment he required," Drogba added. "His visa arrived two days after he died, It was difficult for me."

Drogba is expected to lead the attack against Betis as Hernan Crespo has not travelled to Spain because of a muscle injury collected in the win over Rovers at the weekend.

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Arsenal resist Blues' capital claims


Arsenal are determined to resist Chelsea's attempt to "own London" following chief executive Peter Kenyon's stated intention to style the Blues as the capital's leading team.

Kenyon believes that, fuelled by Roman Abramovich's millions and success on the pitch under Jose Mourinho, Chelsea can overtake Arsenal as the leading club in London.

In an interview with the Independent, the Chelsea chief executive claimed there were "no boundaries" within the capital in attempting to lure fans away from their local clubs.

However, while runaway Premiership leaders Chelsea believe they already have 20 million fans across the world, including five million in Britain, Arsenal claim their worldwide supporter base is still bigger.

Amid an unconnected row simmering between Mourinho and Arsene Wenger, they are determined to improve their status, especially with a move to a new 60,000-seater stadium set to take place next summer.

Managing director Keith Edelman told the Evening Standard: "We have, I believe, a much bigger fan base than Chelsea. It is around 25 million worldwide, with two million in the United Kingdom.

"And, with shirt sales, some 80% are in the UK. It is not my place to comment on what Chelsea say or what they are planning to do.

"But I feel comfortable with what we are doing now and plan to do in the future for supporters. The Emirates Stadium will help us. We try to offer value for money on and off the field."

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Wenger bites back at Jose


Arsene Wenger threatened to take action against Jose Mourinho for calling him a "voyeur" as he branded the Chelsea manager's outspoken comments as "out of order, disconnected with reality and disrespectful".

Mourinho had bristled at Wenger's suggestion last week that Chelsea's self-belief may have taken a knock with their draw at Everton and Carling Cup defeat on penalties to Charlton.

Mourinho intimated that Wenger was obsessed about Chelsea and declared: "There are some guys, who, when they are at home, have this big telescope to see what happens in other families. He must be one of them. Being a voyeur is a sickness."

Wenger hit back ahead of Arsenal's Champions League tie against Sparta Prague, believing that Mourinho had overstepped the mark in making such an apparently personal attack.

He declared: "I will see whether I take any action about that. I don't know yet, but I leave that door open."

The Frenchman would not confirm whether he was considering a complaint to the Football Association for bringing the game into disrepute or even legal action for alleged slander.

Wenger did not shy away from confronting the issue as he insisted: "I'm not obsessed at all with Chelsea. I'm at a club where I'm very happy.

"There wasn't anything malicious in what I said. I was asked a question about Chelsea and I gave an honest answer, just as I expect any other manager to do when he is asked about Arsenal.

"I can't see what is wrong there, or we would all have to close our press conferences. But I will always say what I think as I am a strong personality.''

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Blues stung by Betis loss


Click here for match details


Chelsea crashed to a shock 1-0 defeat against struggling Real Betis to leave their hopes of reaching the last 16 of the Champions League on hold.

Jose Mourinho's men have now failed to win on their travels in this competition for more than a year and they were undone once more by an ordinary Betis side currently fourth from bottom in La Liga.

A first-half goal from the left boot of substitute Dani put Chelsea to the sword in Seville after the jittery Blues defence had failed to deal with Capi's cross and a clever dummy from Edu - a dummy which left William Gallas flatfooted and confused.

Victory would have given Chelsea a place in the knockout stages but in reality it would have been an injustice on the home side which had the better of the first half despite losing top scorer Ricardo Oliveira through injury in the 24th minute.

The enforced change brought its own luck with Oliveira's replacement, Dani, striking the winner with admirable calm just five minutes after being introduced into the action.

Betis are now just one point behind the Londoners who may need to win both games to ensure qualification.

Mourinho must have been relishing a return to purely football matters when the game got underway after his verbal volleyball with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger had once again overshadowed this Group G clash.

Ever since Mourinho arrived at Stamford Bridge, his penchant for team rotation had served him well but the inclusion of Eidur Gudjohnsen in attack at the expense of Didier Drogba was a baffling one.

Betis' hopes of causing something of an upset appeared to have evaporated in the first half when Nano was replaced by Paulo Castellini and Oliveira was stretchered off under a challenge from Ricardo Carvalho.

In the 28th minute though Betis were in front when a low cross from Capi evaded the Chelsea defenders and after Gallas had been fooled by Edu's dummy, substitute Dani placed the ball under Petr Cech.

Betis were now controlling proceedings in the midfield and for once Lampard and his cohorts were out-thought and out-fought - a rare occurrence at any level since Mourinho took charge last year.

In the 39th minute though Chelsea squandered a golden opportunity to level the scores when Gudjohnsen sliced the Betis defence open with a perfect pass to Cole.

However, the England international's shot was well saved by Pedro Contreras to maintain the home side's slender advantage.

Chelsea had been second best for much of the opening half with Arjen Robben particularly disappointing.

The Dutchman had failed to make an impact on either wing and he was clearly not a patch on the player which terrorised defences last term.

However, he tried his luck with a long-range effort after exchanging a clever one-two with Essien on the edge of the Betis penalty area, and brought a fine save from Contreras.

Gudjohnsen wasted a fine chance to restore the parity when he was put clear of the home defence by John Terry but the normally deadly Icelandic striker fired high over the bar with just Contreras to beat.

Dani's goal was the first the Londoners had conceded in the competition this season and Mourinho had every right to be appalled by their first-half display.

Chelsea's normally-accurate passing had disintegrated once more as the game wore on and a wayward ball from Essien was greeted with anger by Mourinho who then gestured to Damien Duff to get ready for action.

In the 65th minute Mourinho played his final card - bringing on fit again Duff for the out of sorts Robben.

The home crowd were now beginning to sense a victory that would leave them just a point behind their opponents in Group G.

It was difficult to see where Chelsea would find the inspiration to overcome the deficit and such was the frustration that Drogba was also shown the yellow card following a face-to-face confrontation with Betis keeper Contreras.

In the 74th minute, Chelsea were desperately unlucky not to equalise when Wright-Phillips crossed only to see Essien's shot strike both posts before rolling into the arms of the Betis 'keeper.

Chelsea's desperation was such that Mourinho asked defender Terry to play up front in the final 15 minutes but it was all to no avail as the Blues failed once more to succeed away from home in Europe.

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LMA chief wants row brought to end


The League Managers Association want to speak to Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho before the end of the week in a bid to bring their "tit-for-tat" exchange to a swift end.

LMA chief executive John Barnwell has not yet made contact with either the Arsenal or Chelsea boss, believing the sides' Champions League commitments this week are far more important than the spat between the pair.

"We will be making every effort to speak to them before the weekend and pointing out that it is not acceptable to have two senior managers having an acrimonious debate through the media," Barnwell told the Press Association.

"It is two of our senior managers - albeit terrific senior managers - having a tit-for-tat.

"The more it is in the public domain, the more the conversation will be fuelled and fired and it is unfortunate that there are too many incidents getting headlines off the pitch when what we want are more headlines on the pitch.

"Arsene and Jose have responsibilities. I don't expect them to shake hands but I expect them to put the thing to bed and let it rest, where it should be.

"They are both members of ours and highly respected, and we're disappointed this has come out in the public domain."

Mourinho accused Wenger of being "a voyeur" who was "obsessed" with his Chelsea side, following remarks from Wenger that the Blues' Carling Cup defeat to Charlton suggested they "had lost a little bit of belief".

Wenger then claimed he was considering "action" over Mourinho's outburst, with the Portuguese following up last night by revealing his club hold a 120-page dossier on Wenger's comments relating to Chelsea.

Barnwell added: "We have deliberately not made contact with either Arsene or Jose yet because this week they have had more important things to do with their matches.

"I will attempt to speak to both of them and get their stance on it."

The Football Association are monitoring the situation but are reserving judgement on whether to become involved, though it is worth noting the potential for the verbal jousting to continue throughout the week.

Wenger is sure to be pressed on the subject after Arsenal's Champions League match against Sparta Prague on Wednesday. Mourinho will hold his preview to the weekend's match against Manchester United on Thursday while Wenger will face the media again on Friday before Saturday's game against Sunderland. The Frenchman could be asked about it again after that match, and Mourinho will more than likely face the press at Old Trafford on Sunday evening.

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Manager's row won't reach court: Lawyer


A legal expert predicts the feud between Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger will be settled by the Football Association rather than end up in the courts.

The managers of Chelsea and Arsenal have been involved in a bout of verbal jousting recently, with the Portuguese accusing Wenger of being "a voyeur" obsessed with his rivals.

Wenger in turn claimed he was considering "action" over Mourinho's remarks, with the Blues boss revealing his club had compiled a 120-page dossier on Wenger's comments concerning Chelsea.

Mark Stephens, a partner at Finers Stephens Innocent law firm and a specialist in media law and defamation, believes the pair's disagreement can be resolved by the game's national governing body.

"This is a running commentary. If we go back to Arsene Wenger's comments when he was trying to wind up Alex Ferguson that everyone thinks their wife is the prettiest, what Jose Mourinho is saying is that Wenger doesn't think his wife - namely Arsenal - is the prettiest, he actually thinks Chelsea is the prettiest now," Stephens told Radio Five Live.

"It's that sort of element that is creeping in here, but ultimately the courts are not going to be where this ends up, I think the FA will step in to stop it."

Stephens felt Mourinho's admission that he was keeping a dossier of his rival's remarks was taking the row into "ridiculous" territory.

"The whole of this is starting to turn into the sort of ridiculous nonsense that we see before two heavyweight pugilists step into the ring," he added.

"It does clearly have an impact. Almost 10 seasons ago Kevin Keegan was 10 points clear [at the top of the Premiership] with Newcastle and Alex Ferguson started sledging him, and it really had an impact on Keegan."

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Blues can still top group - Jose


Jose Mourinho remains confident that Chelsea can still win their Champions League qualifying group despite their pain in Spain.

Liverpool now lead Group G by three points after they beat Anderlecht but Mourinho said: "There are still games to play Liverpool have to play against Betis so some will lose points. I still think there are possibilities to be first in the group.

"I don't think it is fair to single out any individual player, the whole team played badly. I think this was a very bad team performance. They had a very bad game."

Chelsea were never really in a position to dominate the game and they were beaten by Dani's 24th-minute goal.

The Betis substitute coolly slotted home after Capi's cross had evaded everyone thanks to Edu's clever dummy.

Chelsea's best effort came from Michael Essien whose shot hit both posts before rolling into the grateful arms of the Betis goalkeeper.

The Blues now lie in second place, just a point ahead of the Spaniards, and may need to win both games in order to qualify.

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba could find himself in trouble with Uefa after arguing with both the referee and his assistants at the end of the game.

The Ivory Coast striker had to be hauled away by Chelsea officials as his remonstrations became more heated.

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Defeat was worst yet - Mourinho


Mourinho has labelled Tuesday's 1-0 Champions League defeat against Real Betis as "the worst performance since I arrived".

Betis substitute Dani's 24th-minute strike condemned them to defeat in Seville.

Mourinho labelled their performance as the worst he had witnessed since taking charge of the side but still believes they can finish top of Group G even though Liverpool moved three points clear with victory over Anderlecht and Chelsea have lost five of their last six away games in Europe.

"Our destiny is in our own hands," said Mourinho. "I still think we can win the group if we win our last two matches.

"It was the worst performance since I arrived," admitted Mourinho. "I have been here for 15 months and we have played perhaps 80 games at Chelsea and this was the worst performance.

"The first half was too bad to be true. I know everything was bad. I cannot find a positive out of the game."

Chelsea were so poor that Mourinho resorted to playing defender John Terry up front for the last 15 minutes.

But they only threatened to level once and then cruel luck intervened when Michael Essien's shot rebounded off both posts and into the arms of the Betis goalkeeper.

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Mourinho wants row to end


Jose Mourinho has offered Arsene Wenger the chance to end their row and prevent possible intervention by the Football Association.

On the surface, the olive branch offered to his French counterpart at Arsenal could have been construed as a master stroke of diplomacy from Chelsea's Portuguese coach.

But the sting in the tail will have left nobody, Wenger and the FA included, under no illusions what will happen if the Arsenal manager insists on denigrating the current Premiership champions and their coach.

The Chelsea coach delivered his message to Wenger after watching his side slump to their second defeat in six days against Real Betis in Seville on Tuesday.

It was their original defeat - 5-4 on penalties to Charlton in the Carling Cup last Wednesday - which prompted Wenger to spark the latest round of verbal volleyball by suggesting that perhaps Chelsea were losing a "little bit of self-belief".

It was the catalyst for a spat that has brought relations between the two clubs to an all-time low - unbelievably more antagonistic than they were during the furore over Chelsea's tapping-up of Arsenal's England left-back Ashley Cole.

On Saturday, Mourinho responded by labelling Wenger a "voyeur" and the description was enough to force Wenger into retaliating with the threat of legal action as well as denouncing the Chelsea coach as "out of order, stupid and disrespectful". A harsh riposte from a manager whose own team is hardly chasing Chelsea's coat tails this season.

The result was Mourinho's offer of a truce - one Wenger should seize in order to avoid damaging his own reputation in English football even further.

"First of all if my comments were very strong, I have to accept that his next comments will be very strong," said Mourinho. "I have to accept that.

"But at Stamford Bridge, we have a file of quotes from Mr Wenger about Chelsea football club in the last 12 months - it is not a file of five pages.

"It is a file of 120 pages, so we have a very strong reaction. My objective is that it is enough. He has talked enough about us. He has said some very strange things about Chelsea football club. We have a very strong answer.

"I accept his next answer being strong but it is time to stop because if he doesn't stop, we are there for the fight."

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Cole: We'll come out fighting


Joe Cole admits Chelsea have been hurt by their worst performance under manager Jose Mourinho - but says they will "come out fighting".

Mourinho slammed his side for their inept showing against Real Betis in Seville on Wednesday night as they crashed to their first defeat of the season in Europe via a 24th-minute goal from Dani.

Mourinho conceded the performance was not acceptable and the view was shared by his players, who could not find any answer as to why they were second best in every department.

Chelsea now lie in second place in Group G of the Champions League - three points behind leaders Liverpool and only a point in front of Betis.

It means they must win both of their remaining games, against Anderlecht away and Liverpool at home, to ensure they top the group.

The Blues have now lost five out of their last six away games in Europe and that will be of real concern to Mourinho as he looks to seal qualification for the knockout phase in Brussels in a fortnight.

"We are hurt but we will come out fighting," Cole promised. "To say the least, we did not play well. Things went wrong and I wish I could say what it was.

"It just did not happen and we are very disappointed. We will look at the game and see where we need to improve but it was a long journey home.

"I knew our away record was not great because I remember losing against Barcelona and Bayern Munich last season.

"Both of those at least were good performances and I am sure we can go and win our next away game and safely go through."

Chelsea return to Premiership action with a tough trip to Manchester United this weekend.

Their form on the domestic front, bar the Carling Cup defeat on penalties to Charlton, has been exceptional with 10 wins out of 11 games.

Skipper John Terry, who played the last 15 minutes of the game against Betis in attack, accepts their performance was bad and said they simply did not fight for the club.

However, he wants the players to bounce back with a winning performance against United to keep their quest for a second successive Premiership title rolling on.

"It was all wrong, a bad performance and we came away from Seville really disappointed," said Terry. "It was our first defeat in 90 minutes this season and it was a bad way to lose because we didn't perform well or fight for the shirt.

"We have been suffering on corners and crosses. Betis caused us a few problems at Stamford Bridge and we did not deal with that again.

"It's a massive game for us in the Premiership at the weekend and so we will pick ourselves up for that."

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chelea looking to add salt to manutd wounds..BUt i hope it wont happen

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Blues run ended by Fletcher


Click here for match details


After one of the most turbulent weeks of his entire Old Trafford reign, Sir Alex Ferguson celebrated his 19th anniversary in charge of Manchester United by guiding them to one of their most amazing victories with a 1-0 success against Chelsea.

Written off from all quarters, including his own captain, the obituaries for the most successful British manager of all time were penned and ready to roll.

But not for the first time in his phenomenal career, the stubborn Scot galvanised a formidable performance from a side that few felt they were capable of producing.

After spending almost the entire second half back-pedalling furiously, United emerged victorious with Darren Fletcher's first-half header proving enough to end Chelsea's 40-match unbeaten record.

Unlike Arsenal, whose 49-game run bit the dust on the same ground last year, Chelsea accepted their defeat with grace. Beaten, not by a team of greater quality, but by one who would not - dare not - lose.

They may have suffered a rare reverse in midweek and won only once in their last four games, but Chelsea had every right to swagger into Old Trafford.

By contrast, United were so bad in defeats to Middlesbrough and Lille in the past week, their team bus might have been looking for a hidden entrance to keep Ferguson's side away from agitated fans.

Yet, as Jose Mourinho is acutely aware, in football, triumph and disaster are only ever 90 minutes away and as the Chelsea coach headed down the tunnel to deliver his half-time team talk, he was suddenly facing opposition far removed from the one which lined up before the game.

Writing Ferguson off has become an art form down the years and every time, the obdurate Scot has recovered to enjoy a hearty laugh at his detractors' expense.

The abuse raining down on the United boss this week has been particularly intense. He even had to slap down Roy Keane on Friday for public criticism of his players.

Keane was in the stands to witness the first-half revival and was gracious enough to stand and applaud with a wry smile on his face as Fletcher, one of the men he castigated, saw his looping header drop into the net.

It would be a harsh judge of Chelsea's performance to say the hosts deserved their interval lead, but equally, United were a match for Mourinho's men.

What they could not match in style, the Red Devils made up for in effort and direct running. In delivering long balls over the top, they also appeared to hit on an area of Chelsea weakness and Paul Scholes sent a shot whistling just wide after Wayne Rooney had chased down one long punt forward before cutting a fine pass back to his former England team-mate.

The direct route to goal also brought Chelsea their best chance of the opening period, which came about courtesy of a sublime piece of skill from Didier Drogba.

Having got behind Rio Ferdinand, the Ivorian brought Frank Lampard's 50-yard ball down with a one magnificent touch before just failing to beat Edwin van der Sar with his first-time lob.

A thrilling encounter, living up to his match of the season billing, was only lacking a goal, and Fletcher duly provided it.

The Scot does not score often - and his first of this season took plenty of time to enter the net after he had arrived at the far post to meet a Ronaldo cross with an effort which had Petr Cech in trouble as soon as it left his head.

As he emerged for the second half, Ferguson knew enough about the attitude of champions to be acutely aware of what Chelsea were about to throw at his team.

Yet the barrage of attacks might have been avoided if Van Nistelrooy had been able to lash home the 10-yard volley Fletcher set up with his neat knock-back.

Instead, the Dutchman blazed over, leaving Chelsea free to attack from every angle.

Drogba again proved the man to fear. The Blues striker saw his stabbed effort roll agonisingly wide after taking a deflection off Mikael Silvestre and it was Drogba's initial shot Lampard was trying to force home when Van der made an excellent close-range save.

At times United were pinned in their own half for minutes on end but when Asier del Horno blasted an eight-yard volley over midway through the half, the realisation dawned this was not to be Chelsea's day.

An audible gasp went round the ground when the fourth official raised a big red number four to indicate the minutes to be added on.

But try as they might, Chelsea could not break United's stubborn resistance.

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Jones: Jerome staying put


Cardiff boss Dave Jones insists striker Cameron Jerome is staying at Ninian Park and has warned the teenager he should forget about playing in the Premiership for now.

The 19-year-old recently won his first England Under-21 cap and has since been linked with a move to a top-flight club, with Chelsea and Tottenham among those reported to be tracking the Huddersfield-born marksman.

"Cameron is going nowhere and is better off staying at Cardiff," said Jones. "If he where to move to the Premiership, I believe he'll go backwards as far as his development is concerned.

"They (a Premiership club) will drop him in the reserves and you don't learn in the reserves or they may put him out on loan somewhere. That's why Cameron is better off at Cardiff. I don't care what anyone else says, he's best left here."

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Jose praises his players


Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho was full of praise for his players despite seeing their 40-match unbeaten run come to an end at Manchester United.

After one of the most turbulent weeks of his entire 19-year reign as United boss, Sir Alex Ferguson saw his side overcome the champions in thrilling fashion as Darren Fletcher's looping first-half header gave the hosts a famous 1-0 win.

It also cut the deficit on Chelsea to 10 points - with a game in hand, which ironically comes in December against second-placed Wigan who themselves are just six points adrift of Mourinho's men.

"I am always positive and I believed we could get something out of the game right until the end because we were by far the better team," said Mourinho.

"It was a fair game, played between two good teams. I am not happy to lose but I am proud of the team and the way they performed. It just was not a fair result."

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We can repeat unbeaten run - Eidur


Chelsea's Icelandic striker Eidur Gudjohnsen has warned the rest of the Premiership to prepare for another 40-game unbeaten run from the reigning champions.

Chelsea's amazing sequence came to an end at Old Trafford on Sunday as Darren Fletcher's headed goal condemned Jose Mourinho's side to only their second league defeat since the Portuguese coach took charge at Stamford Bridge last year.

However, the 1-0 reverse followed their defeat to Real Betis in the Champions League by the same scoreline and inevitably the back-to-back setbacks have inflamed suggestions that Mourinho's men are, for the first time under his tenure, under severe pressure.

Mourinho described his side's performance against the Spaniards as the worst he had seen during his 15-month leadership, but was buoyed by their all-action second-half performance against United.

Chelsea just failed to grab the equaliser they deserved but Mourinho knows his side still have a 10-point lead over United - one which they will not surrender easily.

Indeed, talk of a crisis was firmly rejected by Chelsea's players after their defeat with Gudjohnsen warning they were in the mood to repeat their 40-match undefeated run.

"Don't be surprised if we go on another 40-game unbeaten run again," declared Gudjohnsen. "We have got lots of characters in the side and there is nothing to worry about.

"I don't think we have a crisis. We just have to keep going, playing as we are. The way we played in the defeat against Real Betis last week we didn't deserve anything. I don't want to compare that game with United."

Gudjohnsen claims the squad are determined not to get into the losing habit and insisted there was no problem with their passion for the game.

He added: "It is disappointing to lose and it is not something we want to get used to but I'm sure we will put it straight.

"There is no questioning our desire or commitment. I don't think the game proved our critics right. We can be positive."

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Hands off Walcott - Saints


Southampton have moved to end speculation linking teenage striker Theo Walcott with a January move to Chelsea.

Jose Mourinho's Premiership champions are reportedly poised with a bid rising to £8m for the 16-year-old, who has scored three goals in his first four starts for the Saints.

But Southampton chairman Rupert Lowe dismissed the reports, telling the club's official website: "We have not had an approach.

"We don't want to sell him and he is very happy here. I spoke to his father before Saturday's game and he is very pleased with the way things are going.

"We have good people here who can help him develop and he is playing regularly and doing well."

Manager Harry Redknapp is also determined to hold onto Walcott, and said: "He is better off where he is, because he is playing every week and learning the game. He would not play at Chelsea.

"He is a smashing kid and a great talent but he is still young and he is learning the game. I'm sure the chairman wouldn't sell him. You have to keep your best players and he would not be for sale."

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JM doesn't expect hangover


Jose Mourinho is adamant there is no chance of Chelsea suffering a post-Old Trafford hangover like Arsenal did last season.

The Blues' 40-game unbeaten Premiership run came to a dramatic end at Manchester United, just as Arsenal's own 49-match streak without a defeat bit the dust at the Theatre of Dreams 12 months ago.

Famously, after spending the previous 12 months being hailed as English football's 'Invincibles', the Gunners suffered so badly in the aftermath of the shock reverse they picked up just six points in their next five games, a run which proved the catalyst for the loss of their league title.

After also appearing to be impregnable this term, Chelsea's recent stutter has reduced their lead at the top to six points - and second-placed Wigan also have a game in hand.

Understandably, Mourinho will be keen to see his side respond by grabbing a positive result when they resume their quest for back-to-back championships with a home encounter with Newcastle on 19 November.

However, the Chelsea coach remains in bullish mood and insists his side have already bounced back from last week's Champions League setback against Real Betis.

"No, I don't see the same thing happening to us that happened to Arsenal, especially when you look at how my team performed against Manchester United," he said.

"In a sense, we have already bounced back. It was still a defeat, and it was still the same result but the difference between the United game and the one in Betis was huge.

"Against Betis the attitude was poor, the performance was poor, the pace of the game was poor, the effort was poor. I was really upset with the defeat.

"But when you see a team perform like they did, in a very difficult stadium against a big team, with very good players who were desperate to get a result and fought with everything they had, it doesn't make me afraid for the future."

Mourinho may have every right to be confident as, for all Wigan's brilliant recent form, their most realistic challengers come the end of the season - United, Arsenal and Liverpool - remain 10, 11 and 15 points adrift respectively.

But equally, it would be true to say the Stamford Bridge machine is not firing on all cylinders just now.

Reports of a bust-up between Mourinho and Hernan Crespo may be unconfirmed, but the Argentine's absence through injury cost Chelsea an important attacking option on Sunday as the visitors poured forward looking for an equaliser.

Shaun Wright-Phillips also looks a shadow of the player who excelled on such a regular basis at Manchester City while the normally sound Chelsea defence found it difficult to cope with United's tactics of bypassing Claude Makelele and Michael Essien by launching long balls down the channels for Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo to run on to.

Certainly, Mourinho cannot be happy with a run of just one win in five outings in all competitions, yet he is relaxed enough in the abilities of his team, and the position of their main rivals to believe the pressure being exerted at present is not on Chelsea.

"Maybe Manchester United will get closer to us and they will not drop so many points or lose so many matches," said Mourinho.

"But I believe we showed why we are champions and why we are top of the league.

"We are not happy at the defeat but we are calm and confident because we know we did enough to get a different result.

"There is no more pressure on us. Manchester United have to win their game in hand just to be seven points behind. They are the ones under pressure, there are no problems for us."

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Barca play down Lamps link


Barcelona have denied reports their sporting director Txiki Begiristain is trying to lure Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard to the Nou Camp.

Begiristain was quoted as saying the Blaugrana were interested in the England midfielder, who has been in scintillating form for Jose Mourinho's Premiership champions so far this season.

But the Catalan club released an official statement which read: "Txiki Begiristain denies having made comments to the English press about the Chelsea player Frank Lampard."

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Desailly makes Qatar exit


Former France captain Marcel Desailly has cancelled his contract with Qatar Club to come back to France.

The 38-year-old defender has admitted he was fed up living far away from his family and wants to experience 'new adventures'.

"I still want to play football," Desailly said.

"I want to bounce back so I will train in France to stay in shape."

Desailly, a former Nantes, Marseille, AC Milan and Chelsea defender, won the Qatar league with Al-Gharafa before joining Qatar Club during the summer.

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Makelele thinks long-term


Chelsea's veteran midfielder Claude Makelele believes Jose Mourinho's squad are destined for long-term success.

Mourinho's assertion that his side's season will not implode following their defeat by Manchester United at Old Trafford last Sunday will have been noted by the French midfielder who, at 32, is the elder statesman of the team.

Chelsea went out of the Carling Cup on penalties to Charlton before suffering back-to-back defeats against Real Betis in the Champions League and United in the Premiership.

Arsenal's season went into freefall after United ended their 49-match unbeaten run and although Sir Alex Ferguson's side put a stop to Chelsea's 40-game undefeated sequence, Mourinho does not believe his side will follow suit.

Much of his faith comes from the mental strength of the players in his squad - a spirit epitomised by the man many believe to be the best exponent of the art of the holding midfield role.

This season the Frenchman has again been on top form and has quickly struck up an understanding with Michael Essien following his £24.4m arrival from Lyon.

Rather than dwell on the recent defeats, Makelele believes their exploits must be viewed in context with the long-term ambitions of the squad and the club.

Makelele said: "I have said Chelsea are one of the big teams among a lot of teams. I say that Chelsea are part of this group.

"Now everybody sees Chelsea play a good quality of football. At this moment not many teams have this quality as good as Chelsea have.

"Chelsea have shown a good demonstration in the Champions League and they have a big future. One season is not everything. Manchester United and Arsenal, they have given five, six, seven good seasons.

"Chelsea have given something quickly because not everybody was thinking Chelsea would win something last year.

"Chelsea have demonstrated a big possibility but over three years I think it is difficult to be a success. It is a long time. But every year at Chelsea, I see progressions towards that ambition."

Makelele reversed his decision to return to the international stage at the start of the season after pleas from the rest of the national team for him to come out of retirement.

France were in danger of missing out on a place in the World Cup finals in Germany next summer after posting four draws in six qualification games before Makelele answered the call.

His return, along with Zinedine Zidane, helped the French to finish top of their group and now Makelele is set to play for his country in the finals and beyond.

"In my head I am not old," said Makelele. "I'm okay. In football if your body is okay and your head is okay, why not play?"

"But play on for France after the next World Cup?

"Yeah, why not? Football is competition. Every player likes ambition and my ambition is to win trophies and go to some finals.

"France have lived through two bad competitions - the World Cup in Japan and the European Championships in Portugal.

"They now have a lot of good young players and it changes the philosophy for the competition. It is my country. It is normal to come back. There is more concentration and more motivation to go past the quarter-finals."

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Pirates net compensation


An independent tribunal has ruled that Bristol Rovers will receive £200,000 from Premiership champions Chelsea as compensation for promising young striker Scott Sinclair.

The 16-year-old, who had been at Rovers since the age of seven, signed scholarship forms at Stamford Bridge in June after his Rovers contract expired, but officials of the League Two club claimed Sinclair had been approached illegally.

The ruling went in Rovers' favour in court, but club director Kevin Spencer believes the 'relatively low' compensation package will do little to prevent the big clubs from poaching lower league players.

"Although we received a fair hearing, we were disappointed with the final package awarded by the tribunal," Spencer told the club's official website.

"We invest heavily in our youth policy and it sends out the wrong signal. It will show Premiership clubs that it is better for them and cheaper for them to take the likes of Scott and go to tribunal, rather than negotiate fair and appropriate fees.

"We are disappointed to lose Scott's services, but we wish him all the best in the future."

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Hatters given compensation


Chelsea have been ordered to pay up to £600,000 compensation to Stockport for youngster Harry Worley.

And Hatters boss Chris Turner sees no reason why the teenager, who played for County's reserves while still at school last season, cannot prove a success with the Premiership champions.

The 16-year-old defender moved to Stamford Bridge in the summer and an initial fee of £150,000 will rise by £450,000 if Worley makes 40 appearances for the Premiership champions. A further £200,000 will be added if he makes a competitive international appearance as part of deal that includes a sell-on clause

Turner said: "It's been a fair outcome for us. Ideally we'd prefer the player but I think we got fair monies up front.

"There's enormous potential, that's why we offered him a deal we'd never offered a young player before, in terms of giving him a professional contract straight away at 17."

Chief executive Kevan Taylor added: "I would have preferred not to have to go to appeal but the committee went towards what we wanted for initial compensation and it was a fair hearing."

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International classic awaits Crespo


Chelsea striker Hernan Crespo has described matches between Argentina and England as "international classics" ahead of Saturday's friendly.

Crespo will seize the opportunity to get minutes on the pitch under his belt after failing to claim a regular starting place in the Blues first team.

The former Lazio and Inter Milan striker came on as a substitute in the penalty shoot-out victory over England in 1998 and in Japan four years later when England avenged that defeat.

The 30-year-old has started four games for the Premiership champions this season and will face Stamford Bridge colleagues John Terry, Frank Lampard, Wayne Bridge and Shaun Wright-Phillips in Geneva.

"This game is special not only for me but for everyone. I'm the only one that plays back in England but there are one thousand reasons to be motivated for this game," said Crespo.

"This is an international classic. It's the closest you get to an Argentina v Brazil and it means a lot."

The most notorious controversy between the two sides was in 1986 when Diego Maradona's brace - the infamous 'Hand of God' goal and his sublime individual effort - inspired Argentina to a 2-1 win over England to reach the semi-finals of the Mexico tournament.

It is a game Crespo still remembers fondly.

He said: "I was at home watching the game, it was crazy, I didn't even notice the hand incident but with regards to the other one, my father who is not a big fan of football went wild. I was only 11 and I didn't think it was normal what he had done. He was not a football lover but that day he really was."

Although Crespo - once the world's most expensive player following his £35.4m move from Parma to Lazio - has no ambitions to emulate the goals of his country's greatest player, he admits he enjoys playing in such a prestigious fixture.

"I discard the one where he dribbles past many players because I wouldn't be able to do it. It would certainly be easier to score with my hand. But seriously, it's beautiful to have the possibility to play against one of the world football powers.

"I want to beat England more than beating a given player. It doesn't matter if David Beckham, Lampard or Steven Gerrard play, if you win you bury all the rumours."

Argentina led the South American World Cup qualifying group for the majority of the campaign before being overtaken by Brazil after losing to the world champions towards the end of the fixture list.

"We have to accept that we are not playing at the level that we desire but still have many games in which to return to our best and all the rumours regarding the national team will fade away," said Crespo.

"What we want is to go to the World Cup and do things well.

"I always go on the pitch wanting to score because of my position and for my career. The important thing is to play well and consequently the result will come our way."

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Mourinho plots title dynasty


Jose Mourinho has returned to Portugal to recharge his batteries and to plot the course of his Premiership destiny for the rest of the season.

Mourinho will have much to ponder on while he visits old friends and family back home for his critics would suggest that Chelsea are on the brink of experiencing the much-touted blip which failed to materialise last season.

Two successive defeats and just one win in five games represents the poorest run of results since the 'special one' swept into Stamford Bridge 18 months ago.

One Premiership title - the club's first top-flight success for 50 years - and a Carling Cup triumph in his inaugural season have been eclipsed by stuttering performances, individual errors and Mourinho's verbal spat with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.

Mourinho's recent sequence of results is still not as bad as that he suffered after taking over at former club Porto in February 2002 when he lost three straight games - two of them to Real Madrid by a single goal.

The Portuguese coach's answer was to rebuild the side and in doing so he went on to turn Porto in European champions.

Such drastic measures will not be on Mourinho's agenda as he enjoys the sunshine in Portugal during the international break.

Yet it is unlikely he will allow himself the luxury of visiting Euro Disney as he did during the last international hiatus.

Then, with the help of the officials at the Parisian fun park, he crept in the back door and enjoyed time with his young family without a care in the world.

But then Chelsea were unbeaten and coasting at the top of the table with the rest of the Premiership wondering how on earth they could stop his side from winning the title again by the turn of the year.

His favourite ride turned out to be named 'Armageddon' and, although the supremely confident Chelsea boss will not be fearing anything like that just yet at Stamford Bridge, he will undoubtedly be reflecting on a period which has seen his side concede six goals in five matches and much of his emphasis maybe concentrated on his defence.

The constant rotation of a back four that no longer appears to have the same rock-solid foundations it enjoyed last season has almost certainly played a major part in their recent stumblings.

Indeed, Mourinho has been responsible for the kind of fiddling which earned his predecessor, Claudio Ranieri, the nickname of the 'tinkerman'.

He has changed his back four in each of the last five games and, although some of these were enforced due to injury, the constant rotation cannot have helped the confidence of Ricardo Carvalho, Paulo Ferreira and William Gallas.

Indeed, it is difficult to understand the reasoning of playing Gallas at right-back in preference to Ferreira - a player Mourinho labelled as the best right-back in the world last season.

During the last break from the rigours of the Premiership, Mourinho said he felt like action hero actor Bruce Willis as he enjoyed the rollercoaster rides in Paris.

"I felt like Bruce Willis. Fantastic. The mother likes, the kids like, I like. Armageddon.... water, fire, bouncing, weeeee!

"My kids, they go two or three times a year with their mother. But I never go because I have no time.

"It helped me to switch off. I had two days of fun. I had support from the people there, so that I didn't have to queue."

Chelsea's next few opponents may well be advised to beware Mourinho's wounded pride when he switches back on.

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Gills get compensation


Gillingham have been awarded an initial compensation fee of £125,000 from Chelsea for academy product Ryan Bertrand.

Chairman Paul Scally attended a Football League appeals committee in London to secure compensation for the 16-year-old left-back, whom the Gills claimed they had secured on a scholarship before the Premier League champions swooped.

The League One strugglers will receive a further £50,000 should Bertrand make his first-team debut for the Blues, and £100,000 for every 10 appearances up to and including his 40th appearance.

Further sell-on clauses were also included in the package.

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Blatter backing Mourinho


Fifa president Sepp Blatter has defended outspoken Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, insisting football needs all the characters it can get.

The Portuguese has been involved in a verbal exchange over the last fortnight with Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, with the game's authorities in this country urging the pair to settle their differences.

Blatter believes Mourinho should be checked if he steps out of line but feels sometimes "personalities" like the Blues boss can be tolerated.

"We should be proud and happy in football to have outstanding personalities," the Swiss said.

"Outstanding personalities, from time to time, say some things they shouldn't say but it is not so detrimental to the game.

"I would say our game needs such personalities. Not only on the field of play but also as coaches.

"Really, if he's not behaving well, you have the disciplinary committees in England and they can assess the situation. I would like to have more Mourinhos in our game."

Blatter again backed Manchester United fans who opposed American tycoon Malcolm Glazer's takeover of the club earlier this year.

"This is another problem that will be assessed," he said.

"You have shares available, someone is buying them, they have the majority and we don't know what this American investor wants to do about football.

"You have seen the reaction of the fans of Manchester. I congratulate them for this reaction. This is one of the problems we will go into."

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Real made Walcott enquiry


Southampton starlet Theo Walcott was the subject of an enquiry from Spanish giants Real Madrid in the summer, according to the player's agent.

The 16-year-old, who has hit three goals in his first four starts to boost the Saints' flagging promotion bid, has been heavily linked with an £8m switch to Chelsea in the January transfer window.

But Colin Gordon of Key Sports Management claims the Premiership and European big guns were ready to swoop for Walcott before he burst onto the scene this season.

"Everyone was aware of Theo but he chose to stay," Gordon told the Daily Star. "There was an enquiry from Real Madrid in the summer and he could have gone to Chelsea, (Manchester) United, Arsenal or Liverpool."

Saints boss Harry Redknapp and chairman Rupert Lowe maintain their prized asset is going nowhere in January, but speculation continues to mount that Premiership champions Chelsea could buy the player and loan him back to the Championship side.

And Gordon admitted Chelsea's sporting director Frank Arnesen agrees with Redknapp's assertion that Walcott would be better off staying at St Mary's, where he is certain to get a game, rather than plying his trade in the Blues' reserves. "He (Arnesen) thinks the experience Theo is getting at Southampton is invaluable," added Gordon.

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Crespo keen on Blues stay


Chelsea striker Hernan Crespo has dismissed talk of a rift with manager Jose Mourinho and stressed he is happy to stay at Stamford Bridge.

The Argentina forward, who will face England in the friendly in Geneva on Saturday, did not travel for the Blues' Champions League defeat to Real Betis in Spain last week and was left out of the squad beaten by Manchester United on Sunday.

That sparked speculation Crespo, 30, had finally got fed up after only five starts this season but he denied that was true.

"There is no way we have fallen out. No way. We didn't have an argument before the Betis game. Definitely not. That did not happen," he said.

"Mourinho is one of the great managers in the world. He is a good, good person and I am very happy to work with him and our relationship is good.

"I want to stay at Chelsea. You must not believe I'm going to leave in January. I am very happy there. The group of players is great and the manager is great."

Crespo added in the Daily Mirror: "When you play in a great team it is normal that you do not always have a place."

"People think that if you sit on the bench you will not have a lot of patience. But I do have patience.

"If I have five, 10 or 90 minutes, I will always do my best. There is no problem with that.

"Am I frustrated? No. I know that I am at Chelsea. If I want to play for a small team then I will always get 90 minutes but when you play at a great team like Chelsea you need to be patient. The season is still early."

[Ultimate10002000]

Crespo remains patient


Hernan Crespo has pledged to remain patient as he attempts to wrestle the lone striking role from Didier Drogba at Chelsea.

The Argentinian, who earlier denied their was any bad feeling between himself and Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho, is confident his time will come.

The 30-year-old has made just five starting appearances in the Premiership and played a meagre 59 minutes in the Champions League for the Blues - but he is certain to be involved in Argentina's friendly clash with England in Geneva on Saturday.

Crespo will be up against team-mates Joe Cole, Frank Lampard and particularly defender John Terry after shaking off the calf problem which prevented him being involved in Mourinho's squads for the games against Real Betis in the Champions League and Manchester United in the Premiership.

Both matches ended in 1-0 defeats for Chelsea and while Crespo is disappointed with the amount of games he has started this season, he remains insistent that he will get his chance to shine.

Mourinho has opted for the powerful presence of Drogba in attack - even though Crespo struck the last minute winner against Wigan in the opening game of the season.

Yet Crespo, who spent last season on loan with AC Milan, is prepared to wait for a change in his fortunes instead of rocking the boat and asking to leave.

"My condition is good and I feel much better," Crespo said. "Mourinho is a good person and I am very happy to be with him. I want to play more but I need to have patience and my time will arrive.

"When you play in a great team, you need to deserve to play 90 minutes. The season is beginning. I need to wait and work and my time will arrive."

Crespo is relishing the prospect of taking on at least three of his team-mates in Saturday's friendly.

That tally could rise to five if Shaun Wright-Phillips and fit again Wayne Bridge get in on the action in Geneva.

Both nations have qualified for next year's World Cup finals in Germany and Crespo will be gunning for revenge after the last game between them in the 2002 competition ended in a 1-0 win for England.

The striker likens their contests to 'derby' games and maintains that although the game is billed as a friendly, there is no such thing between two teams with such a long and dramatic history.

"It will be fantastic to have the opportunity to play against Frank and John," said Crespo. "When you play England, you do not need any motivation.

"It is like a world derby. More or less it is like Brazil against Argentina for us. There is no such thing as a friendly, but when we finish the game we will all be friends.

"When you start a match against anyone you want to win. We have history and it is beautiful when you play these kinds of games."

Meanwhile the The Confederation of African Football (CAF) have named two-time winner Samuel Eto'o of Cameroon and Drogba among five top nominees for this year's African Footballer of the Year.

Chelsea's Ghanaian international Michael Essien is also featured in the shortlist, compiled by the CAF media and technical committees.

The list will be cut to three players on 19 November. Eto'o has won the last two editions of the awards in 2003 and 2004. The annual awards will for the first time take place in the Nigerian capital Abuja on 9 January.

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Jarosik hints at Blues exit


On-loan midfielder Jiri Jarosik has admitted he may have to quit Birmingham after revealing he is unhappy at having to fight a relegation battle at St Andrews.

The Czech Republic midfielder, who joined Blues on a season-long loan from Chelsea, says he would welcome a return to former club CSKA Moscow.

"I will have to make a decision," Jarosik told media in his homeland, where he is preparing for their World Cup qualifying play-offs against Norway. "I think it would go wrong at Chelsea and to fight for avoiding relegation with Birmingham, that is also something that would not help me in the best years of my career."

About Moscow, he said: "It was mentioned somewhere, even though it was not as correctly reported as I had spoken about it.

"Of course, it is better to be at a club which plays consistently in the Uefa Champions League or in the Uefa Cup.

"Also the financial power of CSKA is many times bigger than in Birmingham."

A permanent deal is in place for Blues to sign Jarosik, should they avoid the drop. And he couldn't just walk out on the club for elsewhere during the season anyway.

Jarosik, who has been carrying an ankle injury, knows he is unlikely to break into the Chelsea side.

"When I came to Chelsea, Frank Lampard was only one of a number of midfielders," he stated.

"After half-a-year, he has grown up to be a big star. Another midfielder, Claude Makelele, is essential to the team and I could name other examples.

"When Chelsea bought Michael Essien from Lyon in the summer, I had to look around somewhere else.

"In the first two rounds of the Premiership season, I was not even on the bench and I moved to Birmingham.

"My ankle hurts but I simply play because almost half the Birmingham team are injured. So I hope I will recover completely during international duty. We are dogged by injuries. There about five players who play constantly, the others are the ones who are fit at the moment."

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Bridge to get England nod


Chelsea left-back Wayne Bridge seems set to start England's friendly against Argentina in Geneva on Saturday despite his lack of match fitness.

Bridge will replace Ashley Cole, who has a foot injury, although coach Sven-Goran Eriksson admitted the former Southampton star would probably not last the pace after his recent return from a broken ankle.

"I don't think it's a gamble," insisted Eriksson, "but I also don't think he is ready for 90 minutes so he will probably be taken off at a certain point.

"He is one of those players who I hope will come to the World Cup. He is important to us."

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Robben claims don't wrankle Mourinho


Jose Mourinho has opted to maintain a dignified silence following criticism of his handling of Dutch winger Arjen Robben by Holland coach Marco van Basten.

Van Basten reckons Robben's chances of making a full recovery from his hamstring injury would be better served by Mourinho if he chose not to rush the player back into action.

The winger is currently sidelined with the complaint, which Mourinho says stems from his back, and the problem affected him badly during the defeat to Real Betis in the Champions League.

"It would be better if Chelsea help him and had more patience with him," he said. "Let him recover fully, even if that takes two to three weeks, so his body is 100% okay. Arjen is a very important player for us and we hope he recovers soon.

"Only then will he be able to play whole matches over a long period. This is necessary as he will be a very important player for us in the World Cup."

Mourinho, who has been involved in a highly public spat with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger in recent weeks, chose not to comment about van Basten's remarks.

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Beckham: Terry's a future captain


David Beckham has revealed his dream to lead England to World Cup glory next summer while identifying John Terry as a future England captain.

Beckham will lead his country for the 50th time in Saturday's friendly international with Argentina and has revealed his desire to remain skipper for the forseeable future.

But the Real Madrid star knows the time will inevitably come when he has to stand down and he has seen all the qualities in Terry to earmark him as an heir apparent to his throne.

Beckham said: "I think John has the qualities to be a future England captain. At Chelsea he proves he is a great captain and many players in his team come out and say he is a great captain.

"With a great manager like Mourinho picking him as captain, he is definitely a leader in the team. He has got the kind of inspirational qualities that an England skipper needs.

"He is a great leader on the pitch. He shows a lot of passion and that's what every team needs, a player with that quality who leads from defence and can control the team. That is what he has got."

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Blues urged to go for Gago


Argentinian midfield starlet Fernando Gago, of Boca Juniors, has been linked with a move to Chelsea after catching Frank Arnesen's eye.

Chelsea's head of development and scouting Arnesen first spotted £5m-rated Gago at the World Youth Championships in Holland, where he helped his side win the tournament.

And he feels he could be a star of the future so has urged Blues boss Jose Mourinho to make a move for him, either in January's transfer window or next summer.

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Lampard lands player gong


Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has been named player of the month for October after bagging six goals for the Premiership champions.

England star Lampard scored in the 4-1 win over Liverpool at Anfield, bagged two goals in the 5-1 victory against Bolton, scored the equaliser in the 1-1 draw at Everton and netted twice in the 4-2 home win over Blackburn.

His goals helped the champions collect 10 points out of a possible 12 in October, consolidating their position at the top of the Premiership.

According to the Actim Index, the official ratings system for the Premiership and Championship, Lampard is currently the best player in the country.

Jim Hytner, from the Barclays Awards Panel, said: "Frank is one of the world's top midfielders. He is the Barclays Premiership's top scorer this season, no mean feat for a midfielder, but he also contributes to one of the meanest defences in the country. He's been superb this season."

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France shuffle annoys Gallas


Chelsea defender William Gallas claims he is fed up with switching positions for France after he was asked to fill to a number of roles against Costa Rica in midweek.

It is the latest problem for Gallas who has often been moved around Jose Mourinho's back four at Chelsea.

He spent much of last season in an unfamiliar left-back role after Wayne Bridge fractured his ankle playing for Chelsea in the FA Cup against Newcastle last February.

His preferred position is in the centre of defence where, alongside skipper and England international John Terry, he has excelled for the Premiership champions.

Now it would appear the Blues star is facing identical frustration at international level with coach Raymond Domenech asking him to play in three different positions in midweek.

Gallas insists he is happy to play in any position that is not normally regarded as his speciality but finds it difficult to switch roles during a game.

"I am happy with the win for the team," he said. "But, on a personal level, it is becoming a big frustration because, in the end, there is no happiness.

"I am fed up. I need to settle. I am keen to play in a position that is not mine, but I can't change twice in a single match.

"I can't be just satisfied by playing. I need to settle to go on improving. I can't go any further being dragged along that way."

[BioGenesis]

how come i dun see chelsea thread being stickied?

i like makalele

[knnecfw]

Abramovich 'orders Blues inquest'

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and manager Jose Mourinho
We will be champions for the second year running. I am not afraid of the future
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is reported to have ordered an inquest into the Blues' poor recent form after they suffered two successive defeats.

Abramovich is said to have sent some of his key advisers to the club's training ground last week to ask manager Jose Mourinho's staff what is going on.

Mourinho himself was on a trip home to Portugal and was not present.

Chelsea lost in the Champions League to Real Betis and then went down 1-0 in the Premiership at Manchester United.

Chelsea are six points clear of Wigan at the top of the Premiership and second behind Liverpool in Group G in Europe.


Wenger says title race is back on

Despite Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger claiming the title race is now wide open, Mourinho is confident his team will retain their crown.

"There is no shame in defeat, on the contrary, it shows that we are the best," said Mourinho.

"We were champions, we were leaders, we will be champions for the second year running.

"I am with my players. I am not afraid of the future."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/4444836.stm

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Jol reveals Arjen intentions


Spurs boss Martin Jol has declared his intentions to lure Arjen Robben to north London if the Chelsea winger becomes increasingly unsettled at Stamford Bridge.

Robben's future in west London has come under scrutiny in recent weeks after a reported row with Blues chief Jose Mourinho after he was substituted in the 1-0 defeat by Real Betis.

Mourinho is believed to be unhappy with Robben's constant fitness problems and is reportedly willing to part ways with the former PSV man.

Jol is a big admirer of his fellow Dutchman and has admitted he would be interested him.

"I have said that if there are more problems surrounding Robben I'll make a mega bid for him," Jol told Dutch website Football Zone.

"Spurs have a lot of quality. Financially we're very healthy, too.

"We've money to spend and that's why we can bring in expensive players."

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Crespo in Chelsea pledge


Hernan Crespo has vowed to stay at Chelsea and fight for his first-team place after insisting he does not want showdown talks with Jose Mourinho.

Crespo's future at Stamford Bridge was thrown into some doubt after he did not feature in the squad for their past two games against Real Betis and Manchester United.

Eidur Gudjohnsen was chosen to start against Betis, with Crespo not having travelled to Spain, while the striker was not even among the substitutes against United, with Carlton Cole coming off the bench instead.

Despite having reached the Champions League final while on loan at AC Milan last season, he has started just five games so far this season for Chelsea.

And his recent absences have led to speculation of a row with Mourinho which could force him to leave the club in the January transfer window.

However, the experienced striker, who scored Argentina's opening goal in their 3-2 defeat by England in Geneva, declared: "I will stay. When I came back three months ago, I signed a new contract for one more year. So why do I need to change something after three months?

"I have shown that when I have an opportunity to do something in Chelsea, I'm ready to play. But the season is long. If I don't have a lot of minutes now, I don't have a problem.

"Normally I need to play more and more, but I don't have problems with anybody."

The next test will come ahead of next weekend's Premiership game against Newcastle, although Crespo insisted: "I don't need to speak (to Mourinho) about anything.

"Maybe it's because we lost two matches that people need to write something bad. But I don't have a problem with anybody."

Against Newcastle, Crespo could again face Michael Owen, who struck England's two late goals in Geneva.

"Maybe he will celebrate now but, for the Newcastle game, he will be tired!" he said, more in hope than expectation.

"When you play a great player like this, you know he may not touch the ball for 80 minutes. But in the last 10 minutes, he can score twice and beat you.

"He's a great player and he has a history against Argentina after the 1998 World Cup."

Crespo was left complaining Argentina deserved a late penalty in Geneva after a hefty challenge by Steven Gerrard, which went unpunished and potentially changed the course of the friendly.

"In the last minute, I think it should have been a penalty kick for us. But the referee didn't see it and, when England took the ball, they scored," he added.

"At the World Cup, I think they would whistle for something like this. In a friendly, they say 'I don't want to whistle, go on, the draw is good for everybody' and we keep going.

"But it's wrong. I don't think we deserved to lose but congratulations to England, who kept going to believe in themselves."

Indeed, for all of his frustration at the result, Crespo cited England as one of the potential winners of next summer's World Cup - along with Argentina.

"We showed both teams could win the World Cup because both teams played very well," he added.

"This time it was England who won. But if we play again in the World Cup, maybe it would be a different outcome."

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Kenyon warns of TV overkill


Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon believes it is essential not to let television exposure wreck the English game.

Speaking at the Soccerex conference in Dubai, Kenyon admitted it is important not to let attendances suffer in the Premiership, which he insists is a "tremendous product".

"We should all be looking after how to make the product better," he said.

"We have got to keep the balance between the number of games on television and ensuring our stadiums are full.

"But don't under-estimate the importance of television revenue which funded stadia development and, more importantly, funded our ability to attract worldwide players into the game.

"We never want to reach the doomsday scenario whereby stadiums are empty and we are getting all our revenue from television but we have a great tendency to talk things down. The Premier League is a tremendous product."

Kenyon also rekindled the debate over compensation to players on international duty, ironically discussed in Milan on Sunday by the G14 grouping of European clubs of which Chelsea are still not members.

Kenyon rejected suggestions of clubs being unwilling to release players but agreed the problem needed to be urgently addressed.

"I think clubs fully support releasing players for national team duty," he added. "There isn't one club I know who doesn't want that.

"It's a myth to suggest it's just a monetary issue. There are two tensions and they've been around as long as I have been in football. One is the international calendar and the other is compensation.

"It must be within the brains of all us to find a solution. We've had only four players report to training at Chelsea after the weekend games, of whom two were injured.

"The rest were on international duty. We are not complaining about that but for the benefit of sport, outside of the monetary issues, you cannot just keep piling games on top of each other.

"Where clubs really get frustrated is meaningless friendlies."

Meanwhile, Kenyon says he is not in favour of a European super league, insisting it would do nothing to improve the game.

"If you talk to the clubs, they don't want to play AC Milan and Bayern Munich every other week," he added. "It's not something that the supporters want. Yes, in the early rounds the stadiums are not always full but that could be about the timing."

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Veron keen to return home


Internazionale's on-loan Chelsea midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron intends to return to his home country next summer.

The 30-year-old, who joined Inter on a loan deal from Chelsea in June 2004, has no intention of going back to Stamford Bridge at the end of the campaign despite being contracted to the Premiership champions until 2007.

"At the end of the season I will go back home," Veron said. "It's a family issue - after so many years travelling all over the world, one has the desire to go back home.

"It's my family that wants me to go back and I have to listen to them."

Veron, capped more than 50 times by Argentina, has denied rumours linking him with a move away from Inter when the January transfer market opens.

"I have never said that I would leave in January," he said.

"I will only leave in June."

Inter have repeatedly expressed their wish to keep the midfielder for a further campaign with Veron proving a vital component in coach Roberto Mancini's starting line-up.

But Veron has no intention of remaining in Europe next season.

"I will miss Inter and I will also miss Italy," he said. "This country has made me become a man."

Veron moved to Europe in 1996 from Boca Juniors, playing for Sampdoria, Parma and Lazio in Italy before spells at Manchester United and Chelsea in England.

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Lampard keen on Bridge stay


Frank Lampard has urged Chelsea to secure him to a new long-term deal at Stamford Bridge after revealing he would be happy to stay with the Blues.

Lampard hopes to begin negotiations with the club over a new long-term deal in the next few months.

Lampard, who starred for England in the win over Argentina in Geneva at the weekend, still has four years of his current contract left at Stamford Bridge.

The midfielder was crowned Player of the Year by the media last season and tops the Premiership scoring charts after another admirable start to the current campaign.

Lampard inspired Chelsea to their first top-flight title for 50 years last season and helped them collect the Carling Cup along the way.

Although he is being coveted by a host of clubs throughout Europe, the England star insists there is no prospect of him leaving a club he believes is set to dominate the game in Europe.

He said: "I've got everything I need at Chelsea - it's a big club with big targets and magnificent fans," said Lampard. "I am at Chelsea until 2009 and, in a few months, I'll knock at Mr Abramovich's door again.''

[Ultimate10002000]

England make big statement


Frank Lampard believes England have sent out a "big statement" of intent to the rest of the footballing world with their dramatic weekend victory over Argentina in Geneva.

The Chelsea midfielder insists England will reap the benefits of coming up against a South American side of so much technical ability and flair as part of the learning curve ahead of the World Cup finals.

But Lampard is also mindful of the need for Sven-Goran Eriksson's side to get even better in the seven months leading up to Germany if they are to make a major impact.

"We felt we deserved to win on Saturday," Lampard said. "We created so many chances, eventually took some of them and came out on top against one of the best teams in the world.

"It is a nice statement to make by winning that game because we believe with the players in our squad we can compete against the best in the world - and Argentina are one of those.

"Even if we had lost 2-1, although it would have been a disappointing result, we could have taken a lot from giving a good account of ourselves against a top side.

"To then go on and win the game, and show the character we did, shows what we are about.

"Personally I hadn't played a South American team before of any great note so it was a big game for me. It was a big statement from us. We knew our capabilities and we wanted to show them against one of the best teams."

However, Lampard warned: "We know we can't get carried away.

"We have a problem in this country of over criticising when it goes wrong and over praising when results go well.

"We were happy with Saturday but we know there is a long way to the World Cup.

"We have to build on that performance and get even better if we going to to go to Germany and do something good. We won't get carried away but we are pleased.

"We are learning. It was very valuable. Personally I feel playing Champions League football, facing those type of quality players and ones who play in the hole, is a help to me.

"Saturday was a great game to see where we are at, to see how we can cope with the different styles. To qualify we don't come up against teams of that technical ability and flair and movement and players in the hole who can really hurt you.

"We coped with it and we will need to cope with it in the World Cup because, if you are going to go a long way, at some stage you are going to come up against that type of style."

Lampard is more focused on England's strengths, including the Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen partnership, than drawing comparisons between Eriksson's side and world champions Brazil.

He said: "It is hard to compare yourself with Brazil. They have fantastic individuals. All you can do is look at yourselves and we are confident in ourselves. When you have got two strikers in Owen and Rooney it helps.

"Michael is bang in form and when he is like he was on Saturday he is going to score goals. Wayne is special and from midfield we try to make and score goals as well."

[Ultimate10002000]

Title race is open - Wenger


Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger declared the title race had been thrown back open by Chelsea's defeat at Manchester United.

Wenger was away on a scouting mission on the day Jose Mourinho's side lost 1-0 at Old Trafford, while the international break has since intervened.

However, Wenger, whose side face a difficult trip to Wigan this weekend, believes the result could have a significant effect on the title race.

After all, while Chelsea still have a commanding lead, they have won just one of their past five games in all competitions and have dropped five out of nine points in the Premiership.

Arsenal are still 11 points behind but have a game in hand, while United are a point better off and Wigan still stand in second place, just six points behind the Blues.

Wenger declared: "It's good for the Premier League, it makes it open again and more interesting. Of course, it's not done yet as Chelsea have still a fair distance on everyone else but it gives us some hope again."

The Arsenal boss stressed Chelsea's defeat at Old Trafford, which ended a 40-game unbeaten league run, had shown the magnitude of the Gunners' achievement in going a whole league season without defeat.

"I feel the outstanding record is to go a whole season unbeaten and people will maybe realise later what that record means," he told the club's website.

"It shows how difficult it is to beat that. It highlights our consistency and how much quality we have shown."

Arsenal could reduce the gap even further when they face Chelsea next month, although they have suffered an injury blow to Gael Clichy, ruling him out at exactly the same time as fellow left-back Ashley Cole.

Wenger, who was interviewed before Clichy's injury was confirmed, is assessing his options, which include moving Pascal Cygan, Kolo Toure, Philippe Senderos or Emmanuel Eboue out of position.

He must come up with a solution before taking on Wigan, the Premiership's surprise package, with his team having suffered on each of their past returns to league action after international duty this season.

"If we beat Chelsea next month but lose our games before that, it would have no meaning," warned Wenger. "Remember we have a difficult game at Wigan.

"Enough games have been played to think that can't be a coincidence. They must have the quality to be there after 10 games and that's why I say it's a big game for us.

"They especially have power and pace up front and that's why they can get away on counter-attacks and score goals."

[Ultimate10002000]

Diarra groomed as Mak successor


Jose Mourinho has made it clear he sees France Under-21 international Lassana Diarra as the natural successor to midfield anchorman Claude Makelele at Stamford Bridge.

Diarra, 20, has made no secret of his happiness at joining up with Mourinho following his £1m switch from Le Havre in the summer.

The midfielder was invited to train with the club during pre-season after Chelsea scout Gwyn Williams monitored Diarra as he played in every game for France en-route to their victory in the Toulon under-20 tournament in May.

A week with the Blues was enough to convince Mourinho and now the Portuguese coach is grooming the midfielder to become the successor to Makelele.

Fellow Frenchman Makelele has already helped Diarra settle in at the club and the youngster earned his first-team debut as a substitute for his boyhood hero during the home win over Real Betis in the Champions League.

Makelele, now 32, also believes Diarra has the potential to take over the holding role he has made his own since arriving from Real Madrid.

"Maka and I are working hard with him so that he will replace him in the team when Maka finishes," confirmed Mourinho.

Makelele is only too keen to help the young pretender learn all he can about the position he has turned into an art form in the Premiership.

Makelele said: "I had already seen him in the national youth team and now I help him. I'm old so why not tell the younger player things for the future? He's intelligent and has ambition so if it is possible to help him, I will."

For Diarra, Makelele's help has proved to be immense and he admits he has modelled himself on the France international.

"The coach made it clear that he has confidence in me and I've been working like crazy since I arrived," revealed Diarra. "I speak regularly with Mourinho and trust him completely.

"Claude has been my role model for years, so to work alongside him every day is a pure pleasure.

"He's been a great support for me and when the coach says I'm being groomed to replace him, it's an enormous compliment."

Diarra, along with Petr Cech, Paulo Ferreira, Geremi, Ricardo Carvalho, Asier Del Horno, Didier Drogba, Hernan Crespo and Carlton Cole remains on international duty this week while the club's contingent of English, French and German full internationals have returned to training.

But Mourinho's preparations for Saturday's visit of Newcastle will not get under way properly until the rest return and the Chelsea coach is wary of what state they may be in.

"National teams prepare in such a disparate way that it's hard to find criterion beyond criticism," explained Mourinho.

"Once more there is confusion, once more I have my heart in my mouth. It was with their national teams that I lost Claude Makelele, Asier Del Horno, Damien Duff and Arjen Robben.

"That's without looking further back at last season when Paulo Ferreira also had to undergo surgery. England seem intelligent to me. They think about the burden constituted by the Premiership and opted for just one game, in Europe, but against a South American opponent, in this case Argentina, who could offer them a different playing style.

"For their part, Argentina were looking for a European opponent with a different playing style to those it meets in South America.

"But then they are going to Qatar, returning their players to their clubs one day before the weekend's competitions.

"The French play two games and, incredible as it seems, they go to the Caribbean, obliging players such as Makelele, Thierry Henry or Patrick Vieira to make a journey of many hours and to a complete change of climate."

Mourinho hopes to have Robben fit again for the weekend after the Dutch winger's recent hamstring problem.

Midfielder Michael Essien and Argentina striker Hernan Crespo should also have shaken off their minor injuries to return to a squad that will have limited time to prepare for the re-start of the Premiership campaign.

[Ultimate10002000]

Drogba wants Toure link-up


Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has touted Olympiacos midfielder Yaya Toure as a possible contender for a move to Stamford Bridge.

The Ivory Coast hitman believes his international colleague has all the necessary ingredients to enjoy a fruitful time in the Premiership with Jose Mourinho's champions.

Manchester United and Lyon are both understood to have been monitoring the rise of Toure who is the younger brother of Arsenal defender Kolo.

The player is expected to be one of the stars of next summer's World Cup finals in Germany after the Ivory Coast qualified for the tournament for the first time in their history.

Drogba even went so far as to liken Toure to French and Juventus midfield star Patrick Vieira and would recommend his international team-mate to Mourinho should the Chelsea coach ask for his advice.

"Yaya Toure is the new Patrick Vieira," Drogba said.

"He has the same body type. He is also tall and strong and has great technique, like Vieira.

"I think that, very soon, Yaya will be in the Ivory Coast line-up and he will be one of the best midfielders.

"I watch him in the Champions League games. We all saw that he has been excellent so far, especially against Lyon, when he was fantastic.

"Yaya is very happy at Olympiacos because they are a very big European club that plays Champions League football each year.

"He has already made a step forward in his career. But I think he has the quality to play even higher, at a top European club."

The comparison with Vieira is not surprising when you consider the player has been converted into playing in the same holding role that Vieira excelled in during his time with Arsenal.

"If he [Jose Mourinho] asks me for my opinion about Yaya, I will tell him that he is a great player," said Drogba.

"We already have world-class players at Chelsea, like Frank Lampard for example, but I think that, if Yaya keeps working like he is now, some day he will be able to wear the shirt of Chelsea."

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Mourinho: Owen perfect for Toon


Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho believes that England striker Michael Owen and Newcastle are a match made in heaven.

Owen has enjoyed something of a revival since returning to the Premiership from Real Madrid and will be part of the Magpies side that travels to Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

"Michael Owen and Newcastle were major protagonists in the transfer window and the scenario was perfect for both of them," said Mourinho.

"A Real Madrid striker who was also an important player and automatic choice for the English national team.

"Newcastle bought him for £17m and there were 20,000 fans there, going mad at his unveiling. Everything was perfect."

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Rivals to dig deep for Dirk


Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger are set to be at loggerheads again in January - this time over the £12m chase for Feyenoord ace Dirk Kuyt.

Blues boss Mourinho angered his Gunners counterpart Wenger by claiming he was a "voyeur" who was obsessed by Chelsea.

And the Frenchman has refused to let it lie, despite FA chiefs urging them to settle their verbal dispute.

Their relationship is unlikely to improve when the transfer window reopens in the New Year, as Chelsea have now entered the race for Dutchman Kuyt, who has been scouted by the Gunners in recent weeks.

The Premiership champions and current leaders want to strengthen their strikeforce as they will lose Didier Drogba's services in January when he jets off for African Nations Cup duty with Ivory Coast.

Hernan Crespo has given Mourinho a lift by admitting he wants to fight for his place at Stamford Bridge - but the Blues chief only has Eidur Gudjohnsen and Carlton Cole also scrapping for a start, and is ready to outbid the Gunners for Kuyt's services.

Wenger has been warned he will not have a huge transfer warchest available in January - so the Blues, armed with Roman Abramovic's millions, could easily outmuscle their London rivals financially.

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BR: Robbo can Bridge gap


Bryan Robson claims West Brom left-back Paul Robinson "is a better player than Wayne Bridge" and would not let England down if called upon.

Robinson is currently suspended after his dismissal against Fulham in the Carling Cup but prior to that he had been in outstanding form.

The former Watford star played a key part in Albion staying in the Premiership last season and has been one of the few players to maintain the same standards during the current cammpaign which finds the Baggies back in the bottom three.

Robson insisted he would not try to tell Sven-Goran Eriksson which players to select - but is adamant Robinson would not look out of place if he was selected for his country.

Robson said: "I didn't know Paul Robinson that well when I came here but since the turn of the year he has been absolutely outstanding.

"He has had a lot of outstanding games for me. He is a bit similar to Ashley Cole and he has got the same pace, stamina and high intensity about his game.

"Ashley Cole is probably that little bit better going forward on the ball but Robinson is better defensively.

"He is aggressive. He is terrific on getting his distances right on covering and aerially he is really brave. For someone who is small, he is very aggressive."

Robson said: "Maybe England should have a look at him. It's not for me to say they should pick him but they should definitely have a look at the lad.

"He definitely wouldn't let anyone down. I wouldn't talk someone up just to build the confidence up of my players and be detrimental to England. If he has a nightmare people would question my judgement.

"From what I've seen since January of Paul Robinson, he is a better player than Wayne Bridge. I've mentioned Robinson to a couple of the England scouts as one they should have a look at."

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Bridge thrilled with England recall


Chelsea left-back Wayne Bridge has revealed his total surprise at being recalled into the England set-up just weeks after returning to first-team action.

The 25-year-old was called-up into the England squad for the friendly against Argentina in Geneva last Saturday and played the first 45 minutes in the thrilling 3-2 win.

Bridge admitted he made a mistake in the build-up that allowed his Chelsea team-mate Hernan Crespo to give Argentina a brief first-half lead but was thrilled at being involved so soon after returning from a serious ankle injury.

The former Southampton defender sustained a double fracture of the ankle during Chelsea's FA Cup defeat by Newcastle on Tyneside last February and he made his first-team return for Chelsea in the Carling Cup exit at the hands of Charlton last month.

The defender was on holiday in Venice when he was informed Sven-Goran Eriksson was ready to give him another chance on the international stage.

"I didn't know I was going to be called up," Bridge said. "I went to Venice and was supposed to go for three or four days but obviously I came back early. I heard I could be in the squad so I prepared myself for it and, obviously, I got the call.

"It's good to be back in the England thing. I played 45 minutes and would have liked to have played longer but I thought I played okay."

The left-back did acknowledged he was at fault for Argentina's first goal when Maxi Rodriguez left him trailing before supplying the cross for Crespo to convert.

Bridge added: "I made a little mistake for the goal when I got beaten too easily but that happens in football. Maybe it was a loss of concentration but it won't happen again. I'm just working hard to make sure that I keep strong."

Now the defender has started to work with the Chelsea medical department once more after complaining his ankle felt a little sore.

Bridge added: "I've come back and it feels stiff and weak again after one training session, so they did a lot of massage and work on it, as with England you don't get that," he told Chelsea TV.

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Ruud reckons Henry is off


Former Chelsea manager Ruud Gullit believes Arsenal captain Thierry Henry is likely to quit the Premiership and move abroad.

Henry became Arsenal's all-time leading goalscorer when he came back from injury to surpass Ian Wright's mark of 185 goals during the 2-0 Champions League win over Sparta Prague in October. His record currently stands at 189.

However, the France international has not signed a new contract with his current deal set to run out in the summer of 2007, and he has constantly side-stepped questions about his future.

"I can see again that he came back from a major injury. Immediately he comes in and scores goals," said Gullit.

"It means he is something special. We'd like to see him more in the Premiership but I don't think it is going to happen. Maybe he is going abroad."

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Drogba gets Lippi approval


Italy coach Marcello Lippi has tipped Chelsea striker Didier Drogba to make a real impact at next summer's World Cup with the Ivory Coast.

Drogba led the line brilliantly for the Ivorians as Italy extended their unbeaten run to 15 games in a 1-1 draw.

In preparation for the African side's first World Cup appearance, Drogba - who netted nine goals in qualifying - again demonstrated his worth to the Elephants in Geneva.

He terrorised the Italian defence and showed his class by superbly controlling a long ball before firing past Italy goalkeeper Christian Abbiati to give his side the lead.

"We have played against a team with valuable players," Lippi said. "Drogba is an outstanding player.

"It was important for us to get to know this new football reality that is the Ivory Coast."

Former Everton defender Marco Materazzi, who marked Drogba, admitted it was a privilege to face players of his quality.

"When you find yourself facing players like him (Drogba), it means that you are playing at the highest level and this a good thing," he said.

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Jose upbeat over title tilt


Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho insists his side will win the title for the second successive season, despite their recent dip in form.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, the subject of a public spat with Mourinho in recent weeks, suggested the race for the championship had been opened up once more following Chelsea's defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Chelsea were also knocked out of the Carling Cup by Charlton and lost to Real Betis in the Champions League.

The United defeat ended their 40-match unbeaten run but statistics are of no concern to Mourinho, who re-charged his batteries ahead of their home game with Newcastle on Saturday by flying home to spend a few days in the sun.

Defeats, Mourinho believes, are all part of the game and insists he shed no tears over the loss of their unbeaten sequence.

"I'm not a coach who cries - but one who tries to find solutions," he declared. "That's what I did after the defeat against Real Betis and I will do so again after losing to Manchester United last week.

"There is no shame in defeat because we were champions last season, we are league leaders at the moment and we will be champions again for the second year running.

"I am with my players. I am not afraid of the future. The defeat at Manchester United was my 50th game in the English league and we had not lost for the last 40. But statistics mean nothing."

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Solano: Bridge holds no fears


Newcastle midfielder Nolberto Solano heads for Chelsea on Saturday, insisting his side should not be afraid of the Premiership leaders.

Graeme Souness' men travel south having lost just one of their last nine games in all competitions but facing the sternest test yet of their improving form.

However, 30-year-old Peruvian Solano is confident they have what it takes to compete with Jose Mourinho's side.

"I know how excited everyone is here now that things have changed," he said. "I hope we continue to build on that foundation.

"Saturday is a hard game, but it's a good test for us. On paper, we are not a bad team - we are quite strong and probably not that far away from Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal.

"But we need to prove that in the type of game we have tomorrow. I know at Stamford Bridge, it's hard for any team, but that's the game. We don't have to be afraid of anyone.

"They are a good team - they proved that last season, that's why they won the title - but you never know. They are the favourites on paper, but tomorrow we have to go there and give 100%.

"We know how much quality they have, but they have been giving the odd chance away lately and we have to go there believing we have a chance to win the game.

"We need to get points from this game. If we beat them, that would be fantastic, it would be huge for the confidence of the team.

"At worst, we have to try to take a point because we know Chelsea are a hard team to beat, but I hope we can continue our good run because we have another hard game at Everton next weekend and Wigan away in the Carling Cup."

Solano and his midfield colleagues - Lee Bowyer could be drafted into a quintet in the middle of the pitch if Souness decides not to replace skipper Alan Shearer, who is still recovering from hernia surgery, with Shola Ameobi - know they will have a major battle on their hands.

Claude Makelele and Frank Lampard have formed one of the most formidable central partnerships in Europe, although again, Solano is adamant that fear and trepidation cannot be allowed to hamper their efforts.

"We can't be too worried about them," he said. "Everybody knows how good they are, but if we let them have it too easy, then it will be game over because we know Lampard can score, they've got (Damien) Duff, (Eidur) Gudjohnsen - quality players who can score any time.

"But we have to go there and not be afraid of that. We have to enjoy the game, concentrate, try to stop them getting at us too easily, because if we don't do that, it will be a very hard game for our defenders.

"We have to work as a unit - not only the defenders have to defend. We need to start from Michael Owen. We know they are a hard team to beat, but we are going there confident.

"Michael is in good form - he can score at any time - and if we keep a clean sheet at the back and don't give chances away, we will see. Anything can happen."

Owen returns to domestic action after his late heroics in England's 3-2 friendly victory over Argentina with Souness, a Scotsman thrilled by his headed double.

"There were no mixed feelings, I'm absolutely delighted," he said. "But he's got to score the goals for us, that's more important for me, getting goals for Newcastle United.

"Michael Owen has always been a good header of the ball - I can remember him scoring a goal by out-muscling Henning Berg in a game at Blackburn one day. He scored at Blackburn with a header again this season.

"He does get goals with his head. His timing is right and he's powerful."

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Chelsea in Hibs link-up talks


Chelsea officials are set to begin talks with Hibernian about a link-up between both clubs.

Chelsea representatives are to watch Hibs' game against Rangers next week as well as look to confirm an agreement which will allow them access to their successful youth system.

The Edinburgh club, in return, will have access to Chelsea's youngsters or reserve players for loan deals.

Hibs boss Tony Mowbray said: "I've seen Chelsea's reserves play a few times and had a look at some of their young players, but at the moment we are just thinking about potential areas where we might need to bring people in.

"We need to have more talks with them and see what we are going to do. Everything needs to be right for both clubs if anything is going to be done.

"Just because it's Chelsea doesn't mean it will work perfectly, but they are coming next week for a chat and hopefully that will firm things up between the clubs."

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Crespo 'ready' to take centre stage


Argentina striker Hernan Crespo will get the chance to oust Didier Drogba from the main striking spot at Chelsea when he faces Newcastle at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Crespo, who scored Argentina's first goal in their 3-2 defeat by England in Geneva last week, trained with the first-team squad at Cobham on Friday following his return from international duty.

The striker had missed both of Chelsea's 1-0 defeats by Real Betis in the Champions League and Manchester United in the Premiership due to a hamstring problem.

After playing against England, Crespo sat out Argentina's clash with Qatar in order to ensure that he would fully fit to face the Magpies.

And now Crespo will lead the Chelsea attack instead of Ivory Coast hitman Didier Drogba who misses out through suspension after collecting five yellow cards this season.

It will give the South American the chance to prove that he is settled at Chelsea after a week of speculation suggesting he could leave the club when the January transfer window opens.

Much of that was sparked by England Under-21 striker Carlton Cole, who is almost certain to be on the bench against Newcastle because of Drogba's absence.

Cole hinted that Crespo was unhappy at Stamford Bridge and his comments forced the Argentinian to deny the claims.

"I will stay," said Crespo. "When I came back three months ago, I signed a new contract for one more year. So why do I need to change something after three months?

"I have shown that when I have an opportunity to do something in Chelsea, I am ready. But the season is long.

"If I don't have a lot of minutes now, I don't have a problem. Normally I need to play more but I don't have problems with anybody."

The 30-year-old has made only five starting appearances in the Premiership and played just 59 minutes in the Champions League for Chelsea.

But he will be asked to lead the attack against Newcastle as the Blues look to put their season back on track with a win.

Coach Jose Mourinho, infuriated by newspaper articles claiming the club's billionaire owner Roman Abramovich had ordered an inquest into the team's recent dip in form, cancelled his usual pre-match press conference at the club's Cobham training ground on Friday.

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Blues sweating over Robben


Chelsea are waiting on the fitness of Arjen Robben ahead of their clash with Newcastle on Saturday but Hernan Crespo is fit to lead the attack in place of the suspended Didier Drogba.

Striker Crespo, who scored for Argentina against England last Saturday, sat out the game with Qatar in midweek and trained with the rest of the Chelsea squad on Friday.

Robben is hoping to have recovered sufficiently from his hamstring problem to be included in Jose Mourinho's squad.

Chelsea (from): Cech, Cudicini, Ferreira, Gallas, Terry, Carvalho, Johnson, del Horno, Bridge, Essien, Makelele, Lampard, Geremi, Duff, Crespo, C Cole, J Cole, Wright-Phillips, Robben, Huth.

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Desailly wants Premiership return at 37

Former Chelsea defender Marcel Desailly has revealed he would like to return to the Premiership.

The 37-year-old French World Cup-winner, who left Chelsea last year, had been playing for Qatar FC but was unable to settle in the Middle East.


He does not yet want to retire and admits he is keen to play in England again if possible.

Desailly told BBC Sport: 'I am a player with experience, who could improve any team in Europe. England is my first choice if I play on.'

But he added: 'It could be difficult to play for another team when I feel such an allegiance to Chelsea, so that's something I'll take into account.'

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Kenyon shrugs off Chelsea's exclusion from G14

DUBAI, Nov 14 (Reuters) - Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon on Monday played down the Premier League champions' continued exclusion from the elite G14 of soccer clubs.

Kenyon was speaking on the opening day of the Soccerex trade fair in Dubai, on the same day that the G14 pressure group, made up of 18 of Europe's leading clubs, was meeting in Milan before their court action in Belgium to challenge FIFA's player-release regulations.


'We are members of UEFA's European Club Forum and so is everyone else,' he said. 'Yes, we have the stature to be there - as members of G14 - but, for whatever reason, we are not. It is one of those things.'

'But this is a global club issue and it is right that it is discussed in a wider forum,' added Kenyon, referring to the dispute over clubs releasing players to national teams.

Kenyon stressed that a continuing dialogue between Europe's leading clubs and the sport's ruling bodies was the only way to resolve the dispute over compensation for releasing players.

'This has been going on a long time and contrary to what you might think there has been a lot of progress made,' he said.

'But the only way forward is to keep talking, to keep asking the difficult questions and having the difficult conversations.'

Chelsea failed to gain unanimous support from the existing members to join the G14 which includes Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool, as well as Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus and AC Milan.

Kenyon also defended Chelsea against suggestions that their financial muscle thanks to Russian billionaire owner Roman Abramovich had made the English Premier League boring.

'There is not one game that we take anything for granted,' he said. 'It is always a battle in every single league game and the pressure to succeed is immense.

'I think that is why we have such a good product and why we have such success with our league.'

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Walcott wants Saints stay


Southampton starlet Theo Walcott has brushed off suggestions he might leave to club for one of the Premiership's big guns in the January transfer window.

In his first press conference, the 16-year-old playmaker made light of the hype surrounding his future and outlined his commitment to achieving promotion with Saints.

He said: "I think I cope with the pressure and the hype okay. I've seen the headlines but I don't let them bother me.

"I just ignore all the speculation. My mates text me and take the mickey and that helps keep my feet on the ground. I just want to get on with playing football.

"Of course I want to play in the Premiership but I want it to be with Southampton. I would love to help us win promotion," he added.

"And like any other player I would love to play for England one day. I have played for the Under-17 side and it's a great feeling to score with an England shirt on. But there is a long way to go before I can even think of that. I have a lot to learn and right now I'm just focused on my football and trying to improve."

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Cole wants winning formula


Chelsea's England midfielder Joe Cole believes it is vital they get back to winning ways away from home in Europe with victory over struggling Anderlecht in Brussels.

Chelsea have not won away from home in Europe since winning in Moscow over a year ago and their last defeat to Real Betis in Seville sparked suggestions that Jose Mourinho's side were heading for a slump.

Cole, who also helped England to beat Argentina in a thrilling 3-2 victory in Geneva last weekend, says it is an important time for the squad as they look to rediscover the form which made them Premiership champions last season.

Their league defeat by Manchester United brought an end to their 40-match unbeaten sequence and Cole says they must bounce back both at home and abroad.

"It is vital that we get back on the winning trail against Anderlecht and get through to the next phase of the Champions League," said Cole. "This is a big week for the club.

"We need to get back to winning ways and make it a habit again for the team. We dominated the game against Manchester United, but somehow managed to lose it.

"Even when we lost against Charlton in the Carling Cup I felt we played really well throughout the whole game. So the only disappointing performance this season was the Real Betis match.

"We have a fantastic team spirit at the club and these kind of defeats only make us more determined to be successful and get back on the winning trail."

Anderlecht have failed to win any of their games in Group G so far this season or score a single goal. They also lost all their Champions League games last season.

Meanwhile, Cole insists he will push all thoughts of playing for England in the World Cup finals next summer to the back of his mind.

However, he is hopeful his substitute performance against Argentina has again shown Sven-Goran Eriksson what he can do.

Cole added: "Although I was disappointed to be left out of the starting line-up I really enjoyed the experience when I came on.

"Hopefully I have shown Sven once again what I can do for England. I cannot wait for the World Cup to start when we will face these kind of matches in every game we play in.

"If I can play and start the game for England I would love every minute of it. It is everything you want to achieve in the game. You cannot beat the World Cup, but I will be trying to put that to the back of my mind now."

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Blues breeze past Magpies


Click here for match details


Chelsea delivered the perfect response to their critics with an emphatic second-half display that crushed Newcastle 3-0 at Stamford Bridge.

Newcastle had matched the reigning champions for effort and endeavour in a goalless opening half but strikes from Joe Cole and Hernan Crespo inside four minutes ensured that Chelsea restored their nine-point advantage at the top of the Premiership.

Damien Duff completed the scoring right on the final whistle when his shot was deflected over the luckless Shay Given.

Jose Mourinho, clearly infuriated by his side's recent dip in form, had made a number of significant changes with William Gallas and a partially fit Michael Essien relegated to the substitutes' bench along with winger Shaun Wright-Phillips. There was no place at all in the line-up for Paulo Ferreira.

The Portuguese coach opted to replace the latter with Glen Johnson at right back in what was only his second start of the season, while Ricardo Carvalho slotted into the centre of defence alongside skipper John Terry.

Didier Drogba's suspension was overcome by the choice of a fit-again Crespo as Chelsea looked to banish the defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford last time out.

However, the home side were lucky to escape what appeared to be a valid penalty appeal in the fifth minute when Terry felled Lee Bowyer. But referee Rob Halsey turned down the appeals.

In the seventh minute, Claude Makelele needed lengthy treatment after a dangerously high tackle on former Blue Scott Parker and was replaced five minutes later by Essien. Chelsea survived a second penalty scare in between when Del Horno appeared to handle inside the area as Newcastle gave the champions a few restless moments.

However, Carvalho wasted the clearest chance to opening the scoring in the 18th minute when he rose unmarked in the area only to head Duff's free-kick wide of the target.

Frank Lampard, equalling David James's record of 159 consecutive appearances in the top flight, was unable to impose himself on the game and as a result, Newcastle had more than their fair share of possession in the opening period.

But the critics who claimed Chelsea were beginning to lose a bit of their self-belief would have been heartened by a display that lacked guile and style.

This was not the Chelsea that swept all before it on its way to the first top flight title in 50 years last season.

Indeed, their performance was a far cry from the team that went 40 matches unbeaten and only occasionally did Chelsea show any signs of their old swagger.

Mourinho resisted the urge to change his personnel during the interval, clearly hoping that his faith in the individuals that had failed to shine in the opening half would repay him.

His judgement was as astute as ever with Cole putting the Londoners in front two minutes into the second half.

Titus Bramble gave the ball away to Eidur Gudjohnsen and the Icelandic striker, playing in a midfield role behind Crespo, slotted the ball into the path of Cole who ran on to despatch a right-foot shot into the corner of the net for his fourth of the season.

The goal lifted the gloom surrounding Stamford Bridge and sent the previously mute home fans into full voice.

It was now all Chelsea as the familiar style and panache returned with their confidence and four minutes later they doubled their advantage.

This time the architect was Lampard who provided a trademark pass into Crespo's path after Essien had won the ball in midfield. The Argentine striker checked his run before turning to fire the ball into the top corner to deliver the perfect response to those critics who claim he is unhappy at the club.

It was Chelsea at their very best once more and the fight, so evident in the opening half, had now evaporated from Newcastle's game.

Mourinho made his second change of the game on the hour, again enforced, when he replaced the injured Johnson with William Gallas at right back.

Crespo was replaced by Wright-Phillips with just over 10minutes of the game remaining as Chelsea continued to exploit the space they were now enjoying.

The home side were content to play the game out to its conclusion with Newcastle demonstrating very little threat in attack to worry Terry or Carvalho.

Indeed, Chelsea had the last word when Duff burst into the penalty area and his shot was deflected over Given for the third.

[takengo2003]

pathetic thread with only threadstarter doing the 90% contribution, guess the number of chelsea fans is a single digit.

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Blues wait on Claude update


Chelsea are waiting anxiously for the results of tests on Claude Makelele's knee ahead of their Champions League clash with Anderlecht.

The France midfielder was forced out of the action against Newcastle after 12 minutes and could be missing from the squad which makes the midweek trip to Brussels.

Chelsea have not won away in Europe since victory in Moscow over a year ago but Anderlecht should provide little resistance for Mourinho's men.

The Belgians lost in the Belgian League for the first time this season on Sunday, when they went down 2-1 at Westerlo.

Republic of Ireland winger Damien Duff is set to make his 100th appearance for Chelsea against Anderlecht with defender Ricardo Carvalho notching up half that total in the same game.

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Cole strives to do better


England midfielder Joe Cole insists he is not yet the complete player he would like to be despite coach Jose Mourinho extolling his virtues.

Chelsea moved nine points clear at the top of the Premiership with a 3-0 thumping of Newcastle on Saturday.

The 24-year-old is certain to be part of Sven-Goran Eriksson's England squad for next summer's World Cup finals and Cole is enjoying a fruitful season for the Blues while Dutch winger Arjen Robben battles with a hamstring problem.

Chelsea now travel to face rock-bottom Anderlecht in Group G of the Champions League in Brussels on Wednesday night with Cole aiming to keep his place in the side.

The Belgians lost all their Champions League games last term and have yet to score a goal in this season's competition.

Victory for Chelsea will almost certainly assure them of a place in the knockout phase of the tournament although Liverpool remain favourites to finish top of the group.

Cole, who scored the opening goal against Newcastle, was singled out for special praise by Mourinho who claimed he was now a 'total player'.

But the former West Ham midfielder is determined not to be affected by the plaudits and to wants concentrate on remaining part of Chelsea's plans in all competitions by starting against Anderlecht on Wednesday.

"My attitude is simply to keep fighting and not let anyone take my place," said Cole.

"I've always had belief in my ability but my philosophy has always been one of self-improvement. I'm learning something new every day and I'm just as hungry to improve now as I was 12 months ago.

"The last year has been fantastic for me. I'm playing for the top side in the country, I'm playing for England and I'm really enjoying my football.

"But just because I've taken great strides doesn't mean I can't become even better as a player."

Chelsea's season had begun to stutter with defeat away to Real Betis in the Champions League as well as a 1-0 reverse to Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Premiership and Cole admitted it was vital the blip did not turn into something much worse against Newcastle.

"It was very important for the team to start winning again," he maintained.

"The first goal at Stamford Bridge is always vital. A lot of teams come here with five across midfield but once we get our noses in front the game opens up.

"Opponents work hard but mentally it's hard to keep closing down. That's when they switch off and we've got the players to take advantage."

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Gudjohnsen returns to his roots


Eidur Gudjohnsen's return to Anderlecht will evoke boyhood memories of his father's career with the Belgian club as Chelsea seek to move closer to qualification for the knock-out phase of the Champions League in Brussels on Wednesday night.

Dad Arnor was one of Anderlecht's top stars during the 1980s - finishing top scorer for the club during the 1986/7 season - and young Eidur used to dream of following in his footsteps.

His return to the stadium for Chelsea's training session on the eve of their group G clash with Anderlecht quickly succeeded in stirring his recollections of one of the happiest periods in his life.

"Just driving up to the stadium brought a few memories back," he admitted. "I used to come here every week to watch my father play.

"I had a great childhood in Belgium and Anderlecht was the team I supported as a boy.

"I remember my parents saying I would not go to sleep without wearing my Anderlecht shirt. But times have changed.

"I have never played here competitively. I played on the pitch as a kid after my dad's games, I used to run out and steal a few minutes with the ball.

"I used to come to the club from the age of five until I was 12 when we moved back to Iceland.

"When I was younger it was the team I wanted to play for but I think times in football have changed.

"The Belgian league used to be much stronger and of higher quality but it has become one of the country's left behind a little bit both in terms of quality and financially.

"Anderlecht have always been a top team and I think they will always be a top team here for years to come. Belgian TV want to get my old man over for the game but I think he would prefer to sit at home and watch it."

Gudjohnsen, who is likely to continue in a midfield role against his one-time favourite team, said the clash is a must-win affair for Chelsea.

The Blues have not won away from home for more than a year in Europe and Gudjohnsen accepts although there is pressure on them to win the game, they are used to it.

"We have to win it is simple," he said. "I think we live with that pressure week in and week out, so there is not a big difference in that respect."

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Betis in place to surprise Mourinho


Jose Mourinho's assumption that victory over Anderlecht will guarantee Chelsea qualification for the knockout phase could haunt him if Real Betis surprise Liverpool at Anfield.

The Chelsea coach remained insistent that a win would be enough for the next stage of the Champions League but in reality there are matters outside of their control which could conspire to prevent them joining the rest of Europe's elite.

Mourinho, who wants his players to cut out the complacency which has clouded their previously unblemished season, could have been gambling on a hunch that the Spaniards do not have the capability to overcome Rafa Benitez's team on Merseyside.

But the Portuguese master, who leaves very little to chance on the pitch, must know that a win for Betis will leave the Premiership winners facing the possibility of an early exit from the competition.

For that to happen, Liverpool would then need to defeat the Blues at Stamford Bridge in their final game and Betis take all three points from Anderlecht.

Unusually for a man who studies every minutiae of the glorious game, Mourinho seemed blissfully unaware such a dramatic climax to Chelsea's Champions League adventure this season may yet await him.

His belief that success over the Belgians would guarantee them a path to the next round is only correct as long as Betis do not dig out the unexpected back in England.

"We have two matches to qualify and we need one result," Mourinho insisted. "It depends on us to qualify and to be Champions of the group. So everything is in our hands.

"We were without victories for a long time but we came back with a good result against Newcastle. The team is happy again because it is much easier to live with victories.

"It was clear for us that after so many good results and maybe because it was too good to be true what was happening to us during the season, that mentally we all relaxed a little bit. But after the defeat in Seville (to Betis) we realise that our situation in the Champions League is still quite comfortable because it depends on us.

"We want to get three points to qualify and six points to win the group. We need a victory tomorrow to qualify and for it to be possible for us to still be champions of the group."

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Magpies keen to lure Bridge


Newcastle boss Graeme Souness has dropped a strong hint that he is ready to move for out-of-favour Chelsea left-back Wayne Bridge in January.

The Magpies manager attempted to recruit the England defender on a season-long loan deal in August but had his request rebuffed by Blues counterpart Jose Mourinho.

But having refused to abandon his interest in the 25-year-old, Souness is understood to have raised the subject again with Mourinho following Saturday's 3-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge.

The United boss confirmed his interest in the player in September, admitting: "I tried to get him in on loan, it's an area we felt we could strengthen but Chelsea said he wasn't available. He's a modern full-back. All the modern full-backs were once wingers. I had him as a young boy at Southampton and he was a winger."

Souness is also reportedly interested in Gareth Barry, but with Aston Villa in no mood to sell the versatile star, Souness believes he has more chance of luring Bridge away from south-west London.

Bridge has played just 60 minutes of first-team football this season after recovering from a serious ankle injury in the summer, having lost his place in the side to £8m summer recruit Asier Del Horno.

He has been warned by Sven-Goran Eriksson that he will need to be playing regular first-team football if he wants to cement his place in England's World Cup squad.

And with little chance of seeing regular action at Chelsea, Bridge may feel the time is right to seek pastures new - providing Souness can persuade Mourinho to sanction his departure.

Souness has already admitted that he is keen to strengthen in January, although having spent £50m this year, the size of his transfer kitty is uncertain.

Chelsea paid £7m for Bridge in the summer of 2003 and, although the transfer market has changed markedly since then, an initial loan deal could still be the best option for Souness.

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Makelele out for three weeks


Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho will be without the services of Claude Makelele against Anderlecht in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

The France international midfielder is likely to be out for up to three weeks with a knee problem sustained against Newcastle.

Dutch winger Arjen Robben (hamstring) is also absent from the squad for the Group G clash while Shaun Wright-Phillips is suspended.

Didier Drogba is likely to be recalled to lead the attack against the rock bottom Belgians after missing the Premiership game on Saturday through suspension.

Chelsea (from): Cech, Cudicini, Ferreira, Johnson, Gallas, Terry, Carvalho, del Horno, Bridge, Essien, Lampard, C Cole, J Cole, Huth, Gudjohnsen, Drogba, Duff, Crespo, Geremi.

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Diarra could make full debut


Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has hinted he may give Claude Makelele's understudy Lassana Diarra the chance to prove he is ready to take over from the master by including him in his starting line-up for Wednesday night's Group G clash with rock-bottom Anderlecht in Brussels.

Makelele is out for at least three weeks, although Mourinho refused to set a target for the France midfielder's return from the knee injury he sustained in a collision with former Chelsea team-mate Scott Parker during their Premiership clash against Newcastle.

Diarra, 20, has been groomed as Makelele's replacement ever since Chelsea snapped him up from Le Havre in the summer. The midfielder was assessed regularly by Chelsea scout Gwyn Williams who then invited Diarra to train with the club during pre-season.

Mourinho was convinced within a week that the club should sign him as the natural successor to anchorman Makelele's crown.

Makelele has already helped his fellow countryman settle in at the club and the youngster earned his first-team debut as a substitute for his boyhood hero during the 4-0 home win over Real Betis in the Champions League.

Now with Makelele out, the time may have arrived for Diarra to make his full debut against the Belgians.

"Makelele will be out for two, maybe three weeks, I don't know," said Mourinho. "I don't like to press injured players or medical departments so let them work the best they can and recover as quickly as he can.

"He is an important player for us, as everyone knows, but we have solutions.

"Michael Essien did well when he came on against Newcastle playing in that role and we have Diarra - a boy ready to do it. So, no problem. I have made a decision already."

Meanwhile, the Chelsea coach was warned his side he will not tolerate a slack attitude as they seek the victory that will take them a step closer to qualification for the knockout stages.

The Chelsea coach believes complacency was a major cause of the individual mistakes which led to a draw with Everton and back-to-back defeats against Real Betis in the Champions League and Manchester United in the Premiership.

"The message I have to give to my players is that when you look at our matches against Everton, Betis, Manchester United and Anderlecht - they have something in common," he said. "We are playing against teams who are in a difficult situation.

"And what happened in three of those games? We didn't start well, we started too relaxed and conceded early goals. We gave life and confidence to teams in a difficult situation at the time.

"So Everton got a result against us, Man United got a result and so did Betis. I think when you play against teams who are not in a comfortable and happy situation, you have to start strong instead of giving them confidence to bounce back. Tonight our attitude will be a stronger attitude than we have had in those matches.

"We cannot think the games are easy. If we lose tonight the situation in the Champions League becomes a little bit more complicated but the reality is that one win from two matches will see us qualify."

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Terry: We want to find top G spot


Captain John Terry insists Chelsea must aim to win Group G after qualifying for the knockout stages of the Champions League against Anderlecht.

Both the Blues and current holders Liverpool are through to the next phase and will face each other next month to determine which English side takes top spot to decide seeding for the next round.

Chelsea beat Anderlecht 2-0 in Belgium in what proved to be a routine win with two goals inside the first 15 minutes from striker Hernan Crespo and defender Ricardo Carvalho.

Terry said: "It was not as comfortable as we would have liked, we started well which we haven't done in previous games. But we have gone 2-0 up and kept the ball brilliantly after that.

"They had a couple of half-chances playing the counter-attack but we've got a clean sheet and we are pleased with that.

"It's pleasing to come here and get a win, it's a tough place to come but we've done it."

Terry insists the hard work is not over as the Blues look to pip domestic rivals Liverpool to top spot to secure a supposedly easier draw in the next round.

"It's very important for the knock-out stages, it's important to come top psychologically and to win the group would be a great achievement," he added.

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Blues through after CL stroll


Click here for match details


Chelsea showed no mercy in Anderlecht and battered the Belgians 2-0 courtesy of first-half goals from Hernan Crespo and Ricardo Carvalho.

The Blues rediscovered their ruthless streak as they qualified for the knockout phase of the Champions League with their first away win in Europe for more than a year.

Manager Jose Mourinho had been perplexed by his side's recent inability to show the same passion and desire as their opponents and ordered them to put an end to their sloppy attitude against Anderlecht.

They did so in a fashion that would have delighted the Portuguese master with two goals inside the first 15 minutes from Crespo and defender Carvalho.

The win was also was enough to see the Blues progress to the next phase - just as Mourinho had predicted.

The Belgian side, without a goal in Europe this season or a victory in the Champions League for 12 games now, had nothing in their armoury to trouble Mourinho's men who were in control from the first whistle.

Chelsea, even without their injured midfield talisman Claude Makelele, demonstrated a purpose and desire that had been sadly lacking during their 1-0 reverse against Real Betis last time out.

Mourinho must have been delighted when Crespo, preferred in attack to Didier Drogba after scoring against Newcastle on Saturday, put the Blues in front after only eight minutes.

It came just seconds after Anderlecht's Mbo Mpenza had screwed a shot wide from six yards following good work on the right flank by Christian Wilhelmsson.

Chelsea regrouped and immediately attacked down the left wing where Frank Lampard enjoyed plenty of time and space to deliver a pinpoint cross for Crespo.

The Argentinian, who recently shrugged off speculation about his Stamford Bridge future, gave Silvio Proto no chance by volleying the ball into the net.

It was the perfect start for the Premiership champions against a side that has yet to score in the competition this season.

But Mourinho's side had not finished and in the 15th minute they doubled their advantage through Carvalho.

A corner on the right from Lampard was knocked on by Crespo for the Portuguese international to despatch a vicious volley into the top right-hand corner of the Anderlecht net. It was Carvalho's second goal in the competition and put Chelsea in absolute control.

The rest of the first half saw Chelsea continue to dominate proceedings without adding to the scoreline, although Crespo saw a looping volley go just over the target and Joe Cole was unlucky with a chip that Proto just managed to collect from under the crossbar.

Chelsea continued to enjoy the sort of space and possession they are rarely afforded back in England and no doubt Mourinho had asked for a repeat performance at the start of the second half.

A clever run by Damien Duff almost opened up the Anderlecht defence once more but this time the Belgians managed to scramble the ball to safety.

Carvalho found himself through on goal in the 50th minute after Duff had put him clear but he did not have the legs to finish off the run and settled for a corner.

That resulted in Duff chancing his luck from 20 yards with a fierce shot that Proto did well to punch clear in a crowded goalmouth.

In the 59th minute Asier del Horno was booked for a foul on Anderlecht substitute Oleg Iachtchouk and the Belgian side then replaced striker Mpenza with Par Zetterberg.

Anderlecht finally managed to get a shot on target in the 66th minute when Petr Cech was forced to dive low to his right to prevent Serhat Akin's effort from creeping into the net at the near post.

However, Chelsea almost added a third in the 84th minute when Lampard's left-footed effort from just outside the box was pushed on to the foot of the post by Proto.

Seconds later Crespo should have done better with a right-footed shot that he placed wide of the upright from six yards. It was to be his last contribution of the night as Mourinho replaced him with Carlton Cole.

Liverpool's goalless draw with at Anfield ensured that both English teams qualified from Group G.

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We can't relax yet - Terry


Chelsea captain John Terry has warned the Blues have yet to finish the job in the Champions League and has set his sights on topping Group G with victory over old rivals Liverpool in their final match.

Both English clubs qualified for the knockout phase of the competition on Wednesday night and their final showdown game at Stamford Bridge in two weeks time will decide who tops the group.

Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho does not believe it matters who finishes first or second but his captain has other ideas and insists qualification for both clubs will not take the edge off the crunch clash.

"It is important for us to have qualified," said Terry. "But it is also important to have the ambition to go on and top the group - we will have to beat Liverpool to do that.

"Going through does not take the edge off the game. Psychologically, if we can beat them, they have still got to come to the Bridge in the league and that might sway it a little bit.

"They might be after a little bit of revenge after the last game, when we won 4-1 in the Premiership, and I am sure it will be a tough and exciting game.

"There is quite a rivalry between us now, especially after the European Cup semi-final last year, but we are not getting caught up in that.

"The supporters will be paying money to watch the game and the lads will be giving it everything to top the group."

Chelsea were too good for rock-bottom Anderlecht as two goals inside the first 15 minutes gave Chelsea an easy 2-0 victory.

Hernan Crespo, the subject of much speculation surrounding his Stamford Bridge future in recent weeks, put them ahead after seven minutes when he volleyed home from Frank Lampard's left-wing cross.

Defender Ricardo Carvalho added the second in the 15th minute when he fired home after Crespo had knocked Lampard's corner into his path.

Crespo's goal was his third in as many games including his strike for Argentina against England in Geneva and the player seems happier at the club than he has ever been.

Crespo and his team-mates caused a stir before their friendly international against England by chanting anti-English insults on the coach as they arrived at the ground.

England midfielder Joe Cole was one of a handful of Chelsea players in that England squad and he revealed they have stopped short of giving Crespo stick for his verbal insults in case the teams meet again in the World Cup finals in Germany next summer.

"The England boys have not really given him any grief," said Cole. "We don't want to say anything because we might have to play against him in the World Cup.

"Crespo showed he is a world-class player against Anderlecht, particularly with his finish. He is so calm in front of goal. That is why you pay fortunes for strikers because it is rare to have that kind of composure.

"He has been the same as normal since the England game. The singing thing was a lot of fuss about nothing. They do it before their games.

"He is an excellent player and we are happy to have him at Chelsea. He is always in with the banter and I think he has settled really well this time."

Crespo was given the nod in preference to Didier Drogba against Anderlecht because the Ivory Coast striker had returned from international duty with a minor knee problem.

Crespo had scored against Newcastle in the 3-0 win on Saturday and Mourinho opted to keep the same side barring the enforced changes due to injury.

But the Argentinian striker insists he is happy whether he is asked to play or sit on the bench by Mourinho.

"It was my first time in the starting 11 for the Champions League this season and I tried to do my best," said Crespo.

"I am playing in a great team and know sometimes I will be on the bench and sometimes I will play.

"You have a few minutes or a lot and you have to do your best when you have a chance to play."

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Essien praised by Mourinho


Michael Essien demonstrated why Jose Mourinho refused to give up the fight to take him to Stamford Bridge for a club record fee of £24.4m as Chelsea cruised into the knockout stages of the Champions League with a comfortable 2-0 win over rock-bottom Anderlecht in Brussels.

Argentine striker Hernan Crespo - with his third in as many games - and defender Ricardo Carvalho settled the issue inside the first 15 minutes and ensured Chelsea reached the next phase of the competition along with their Group G rivals Liverpool.

But it was the man Mourinho placed at the top of his wanted list last summer who stole the show with a magnificent performance in place of injured anchorman Claude Makelele.

For a man who is reluctant to heap praise on individuals, Mourinho was positively gushing about Essien's performance.

"I think he was the best Chelsea player," said Mourinho. "Over the 90 minutes I think he was the best.

"I don't like to analyse football this way because I am a coach of a team, I like teams to play well or to be responsible for good things.

"But then I have to analyse individually and I think his performance was the most consistent over the 90 minutes."

The Ghanaian was in outstanding form and even in the second half when Mourinho replaced Joe Cole with teenager Lassana Diarra, a player being groomed as Makelele's natural successor, Essien remained in the anchorman role.

Chelsea were just too awesome for an Anderlecht side that has now lost 12 successive games in the Champions League and have just one game left in which to get on the scoresheet this season.

Crespo put them in front after just seven minutes when he volleyed home Frank Lampard's left-wing cross. It was the perfect response for Mourinho's demand that they show the same attitude and commitment as other teams from the start of a game.

The Portuguese coach reckons that complacency was behind their draw at Everton and defeats to Charlton, Real Betis and Manchester United in recent weeks.

But when Carvalho added the second in the 15th minute from Crespo's knock down, there was never going to be any other outcome than a Chelsea victory.

It put the Blues into the next round just as Mourinho had predicted it would 24 hours earlier. However, their success was only achieved because Betis failed to beat Liverpool at Anfield.

"First of all I think I'm very good on maths," said a delighted Mourinho. "I thought three points would be enough for us to qualify and it was.

"For the first half-an-hour, our performance was very good, very strong, quality in the game but quality with intensity.

"We played a fast passing game and our defensive line was playing almost on the midfield line. It put a lot of pressure on them.

"After that we controlled the game. I would have preferred the team to have played the second half like we did in the first half, but it's not easy to do.

"You have to think and adapt to the reality. When I saw the result was 2-0, I started thinking and feeling that a few changes would give us a little bit more defensive control. I thought that would help us to go through.

"The second half was not a beautiful game but we played for the result because we had to win the game to qualify. I think we did very well and I am very happy with the performance."

Chelsea's final game in Group G is at home to Liverpool and Mourinho hopes that Rafael Benitez will approach the game in the same competitive spirit as the Chelsea coach.

"The last three matches in the Champions League against Liverpool have not been good ones. The good one was in the Premiership," said Mourinho.

"Maybe now we have the chance to play a good game between us but, like I said, it's not an important game for me because there is no difference between first and second. Hopefully we will both approach the game with a good mentality."

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Crespo looking for start


Hernan Crespo will be looking to continue in the Chelsea starting line-up after scoring his third goal in as many games against Anderlecht in midweek.

Two goals inside the first 15 minutes gave Chelsea an easy victory over the rock bottom Belgians with Crespo, the subject of much speculation surrounding his Stamford Bridge future in recent weeks, volleying them ahead in the seventh minute.

Crespo, who scored for Argentina against England in Geneva, now seems happier at the club than he has ever been.

His name was on the scoresheet as Chelsea returned to form against Newcastle in the Premiership at the weekend and will now be looking to lead the attack against Portsmouth at Fratton Park on Saturday.

England midfielder Joe Cole was full of praise for the player who has been linked with a move away from the club when the transfer window opens in January.

Cole firmly believes the Argentinian is more settled now he is back at the club following a season long loan at AC Milan last term.

"Crespo showed he is a world-class player against Anderlecht," said Cole. "He is so calm in front of goal. That is why you pay fortunes for strikers because it is rare to have that kind of composure.

"He is an excellent player and we are happy to have him at Chelsea. He is always in with the banter and I think he has settled really well this time."

Crespo was given the nod in preference to Didier Drogba against Anderlecht because the Ivory Coast striker had returned from international duty with a minor knee knock.

But the Argentina striker continues to insist he is happy whether he is asked to play or sit on the bench by Mourinho.

"It was my first time in the starting 11 for the Champions League this season and I tried to do my best," said Crespo. "I am playing in a great team and know sometimes I will be on the bench and sometimes I will play.

"You have a few minutes or a lot and you have to do your best when you have a chance to play."

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Gerrard: We'll keep chasing Blues


Steven Gerrard and his Liverpool team-mates believe Chelsea can still be caught at the top of the Premiership.

Liverpool are languishing 15 behind the champions and face a tough away game at Manchester City, where they will be protecting a five-match unbeaten run without conceding a goal.

But they have games in hand which could see the deficit cut to single figures.

Catching Chelsea - who Liverpool must also play in the Champions League in a fortnight - may well be considered a fanciful claim from outside Anfield but skipper Gerrard and top scorer Djibril Cisse see it differently.

Gerrard said: "Recent results have shown they are not invincible, but don't take anything away from them, Stamford Bridge is a difficult place to go and when they come to your place you know you are in for a very difficult time.

"We are not going to give it up, and from Liverpool's position we will fight to the end. A good run in Europe gives you confidence and you can take that into league games, and our wins in Europe have continued to improve confidence."

Liverpool and Chelsea have both now reached the Champions League last 16, but the Londoners have the upper hand over the European champions when it comes to league form, having already chalked up a 4-1 triumph at Anfield this season.

But Gerrard insists: "The manager has brought in some tremendous players and the squad is looking very strong. I am sure he'll sign more in January and we will be a good force this season.

"Team spirit is important, and you only have to look at Chelsea and their results of late. That's mainly due to them having a fantastic team spirit, but we have a similar one at Anfield and that is why you have seen our results improve.

"Our current form has been really good. We have won our last three league games back to back and kept a load of clean sheets.

"Things are looking a whole lot better than they were earlier on in the season and I am quite confident this season of being successful."

Cisse adds his weight to the arguments, and said: "I agree Chelsea can be caught. We are in good form, we are winning games and have risen well in the table. We all still think we have a chance in the title race, we will fight to the end of the season to achieve that.

"It is difficult to do well in two competitions, but we have a good squad, a big squad, we feel we can do well in both competitions.

"And the goals are starting to come. Certainly in the last few league games, and we are not conceding goals either."

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Mourinho: Football is survival of fittest


Jose Mourinho believes it is his ability to adapt that has helped him to become an instant success in England.

The Chelsea boss insists he is happy with the style of football which has helped his team to the top of the Premiership, nine points clear of the rest and on course to retain the title.

"It is the model that has the most chance of succeeding in English football," said the Portuguese boss.

"A coach should adapt to the reality of the league he is in."

Mourinho has received many plaudits for producing a side which has suffered just two league defeats since he took over last year but his image has taken a battering in recent weeks following his highly public spat with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.

That episode drew to a neat conclusion today when Wenger withdrew his threat of legal action over Mourinho's "voyeur" comments that angered the Frenchman three weeks ago.

Mourinho, who welcomed Wenger's decision as "sensible and intelligent", is unconcerned about his image - both with the media and those in the game who would want to "have a go at him".

"I don't care about it," Mourinho said.

"What matters are the people who work with me and how the footballers in my team feel. I want them to feel protected, motivated and comfortable.

"I am arrogant because you have to be in the world of football. I don't like having a go at people, but I don't like them having a go at me either. I like to look after my own affairs and other people to look after theirs.

"If people respect you for your work, or for the person you are then you pay back with love. That is how it should be. But if they step on you, you have to do the same back, you can't be quiet and I react to these things.

"The media has gained huge strength in recent years and you have to defend yourself. At the end of last season, my players said that the way I was with the press helped keep them away from them and allowed them to play in peace. So, it was objective accomplished."

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Mourinho pleased with Wenger peace


Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho has welcomed Arsene Wenger's decision to withdraw his threat of legal action over his 'voyeur' comments.

Wenger was considering action after Mourinho labelled the Highbury chief 'a voyeur' during a highly public row a fortnight ago.

But Wenger reconsidered his position and announced today the verbal spat is history.

Wenger's decision was taken after dialogue between the two clubs at the highest level in recent weeks and Mourinho said he thought the Arsenal manager had taken the most sensible course of action in the end.

"I think it is a sensible and intelligent decision," responded Mourinho. "He knows my feelings about the situation. I don't want to make it personal. I want to finish with it and I hope he does the same in relation to us. So I think it is the best thing."

Earlier Wenger had offered the Chelsea coach an olive branch by claiming that, after due consideration, he had opted to forget the matter.

Wenger said: "I won't be taking any action. I haven't changed my mind about the basic problem but, having given it more thought, I've decided not to take it any further.

"It's history. I want to focus on what is important for me and Arsenal."

The row continued to gather pace with Wenger branding Mourinho's 'voyeur' comments 'out of order and detached from reality'.

That prompted a further riposte from Chelsea's Portuguese coach, who claimed his club had a dossier containing 120 pages of quotes from Wenger about the Barclays champions.

Relations between the two clubs hit rock bottom over the Ashley Cole 'tapping-up' scandal and descended deeper into turmoil during the public row.

The League Managers Association and the Football Association called for a halt to the slanging match and peace has broken out after negotiations between the two clubs at boardroom level.

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Blues target Kompany


Chelsea may return to Belgian side Anderlecht to sign their star defender Vincent Kompany.

The 19-year-old has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge for some time but now the Belgians, beaten 2-0 by Chelsea in the Champions League on Wednesday night, have admitted they could lose him to Mourinho.

"Chelsea have been interested in Vincent and it's possible that a deal can be made," said general manager Herman van Holsbeeck.

"I have advised Roman Abramovich to keep a close eye on him."

Kompany, who has just recovered from a back injury, has been the subject of much interest from clubs across Europe but Chelsea remain favourites to land the player who can also operate in midfield.

Kompany admits that a move to Stamford Bridge is in the offing, but insists that he has not yet made up his mind as to his future plans.

"A move to Chelsea is certainly a possibility but I have not yet made my choice," he told the Belgian media. "I think the English Premiership or Spanish league suits me well.

"I have friends in England so that's attractive at the moment. When you're young, you can play anywhere."

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Blues duo miss Pompey trip


Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho will be without Claude Makelele and Glen Johnson for Saturday evening's Premiership clash at managerless Portsmouth.

Makelele is out with a knee injury sustained against Newcastle last week and Johnson has an ankle problem he picked up in the same game. Dutch winger Arjen Robben is still a doubt with a hamstring worry.

However, Didier Drogba, who returned from international duty with a minor knee injury, should be fit.

Kick-off at Fratton Park is at 5.15pm.

Chelsea (from): Cech, Cudicini, Ferreira, Gallas, Terry, Carvalho, Del Horno, Bridge, Wright-Phillips, Essien, Geremi, Lampard, C Cole, J Cole, Duff, Drogba, Crespo, Gudjohnsen, Huth, Diarra.

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Lampard earns Mourinho plaudits


Jose Mourinho paid record-breaking Frank Lampard the highest possible tribute by declaring he would not swap the England international for any other player in the world.

Lampard will smash the record for the most consecutive appearances in the Premiership when he takes the field against Portsmouth at Fratton Park on Saturday.

It will be his 160th successive game and he will beat the previous best of 159 held by Manchester City goalkeeper David James and which Lampard equalled against Newcastle last Saturday.

Mourinho also insisted that he saw no reason to rest Lampard after he sets a new appearance best for the top flight and would only consider such a course of action if the Blues were involved in the later stages of the Champions League next year.

"This record for Lampard is unbelievable," said Mourinho. "I would not swap him with any player. There are other players with great talent - Ronaldinho, Kaka and Andrei Shevchenko are unbelievable players - but this is my favourite player.

"He plays every day, he plays every game. Cold, hot, rain, snow, against tough opponents, against soft opponents, at home, away from home and with somebody trying to kill him man to man.

"He can play in every system I want to play. This is what I call a player for every game. For me he is perfect. He is the player wouldn't change with anyone. You could give me any player and I wouldn't change."

Mourinho believes Lampard's feat should be applauded even more because, unlike James, he is an outfield player.

"David James' record before was unbelievable but he was a goalkeeper and Lampard is a midfield player," said Mourinho. "He has no injuries, no suspensions and no bad performances for two different managers.

"Neither Claudio Ranieri nor I left him out or rested him. The record is unbelievable and shows not just the player he is but the man he is. It's fantastic."

The Chelsea coach has no plans to rest Lampard and says it will be difficult for anyone else to overtake his achievement.

"It's very difficult to beat the record because you can always get a suspension," said Mourinho. "To get five yellow cards during a season is normal. You need a bit of luck with injuries but also need a strong mentality.

"I remember last season he was playing with some problems. He had surgery at the end of the season but another player would have had it in the middle. He's an unbelievable character and I have many doubts in modern football that the record can be broken.

"I don't think he needs a rest to be fair. Maybe in February or March if we're in the Champions League quarter-final I can give him a rest, but I don't think so."

Mourinho predicted Lampard's physical condition was so good that he expected him to go on until he was well into his mid-30s and revealed the rest of his team-mates found his improvement remarkable.

"The players who have been with him at Chelsea since he arrived keep speaking about his evolution," he said. "His evolution is amazing in their opinion.

"He is a complete player in this moment, very strong in every aspect of the game. Tactically he's very strong but didn't lose the great quality of scoring goals from midfield. This makes him a different midfield player because normally midfield players don't score 20 goals a season.

"He has everything, physically, technically and tactically. What he has in his brain is also fantastic. He has to keep at this level to the end of his career.

"Every player has a life and they know that between 33 and 35 the end will arrive. But they also learn how to play different when the qualities are changing.

"I can imagine when Lampard is 33 he will be a different player, maybe not arriving so much in the box and not pressing so much. He can play for many many years because of the way he works and the quality he has naturally. I look to him as a long-term player."

[Ultimate10002000]

Wenger lets Mourinho taunt lie


Arsene Wenger revealed he took legal advice over possible action against Jose Mourinho before eventually deciding to let the Chelsea boss "get away with it" for labelling him a "voyeur".

Mourinho had been angered by Wenger's repeated comments about Chelsea, prompting him to claim the Frenchman was obsessed with the Blues.

Wenger responded by criticising Mourinho's words as "out of order and detached from reality", revealing that he would consider suing him for slander.

However, he has now concluded that it would be best to move forward, rather than trailing the matter through the courts - even if he may yet be forced to reconsider if Mourinho repeats his accusations.

"I took legal advice. I wanted to analyse what was behind it," revealed Wenger.

"I never gave it too much importance and I always focused on the game in front of me, but I just wanted to see how it was perceived on the legal side.

"I cannot see that statement to be malicious or vicious enough. For me, the intention behind the statement is important and I came to the conclusion - and I hope I am right - that there was nothing planned or malicious behind it.

"So I won't be taking any action. I haven't changed my mind about the basic problem but, having given it more thought, I've decided not to take it any further.

"I want to focus on the future and the good of the team, not look back and waste my energy with a negative attitude with things that will not disturb my sleep.

"I can't let people say anything about me without a reaction, but I came to a conclusion that there was nothing intended to be malicious so I let him get away with it.

"That did not influence me at all and I didn't speak to him. I don't know [what would happen] if it did happen again but I would consider every situation separately. You can either take action or forgive.

"But I couldn't afford a lawyer! It's discouraging - they say hello and it's £100,000. I had to choose between my holidays and the legal case!"

Wenger's decision not to pursue the matter will be welcomed on all sides, even if relations between Highbury and Stamford Bridge are still strained.

At least the focus can now turn onto Arsenal's attempt to reduce Chelsea's 11-point advantage over them, with one game in hand and the Blues scheduled to visit Highbury next month.

[Ultimate10002000]

Mourinho denies Real talk


Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has slammed reports he could quit Stamford Bridge to join Real Madrid if they offered him the Bernabeu hot-seat.

Mourinho's success at Stamford Bridge has inevitably put him in the frame for other jobs across Europe, including Spanish giants Real.

With Madrid's Wanderley Luxemburgo under pressure, Mourinho's name has been consistently linked as a possible successor, but the Chelsea chief has no plans to quit the champions.

"I wouldn't go if they called me," he insisted.

"I have four more years at Chelsea and I hope to win enough trophies in that time to see out my contract and maybe longer."

He also denied that he was thinking of making a move for Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o in the January transfer window.

"There was a moment when it seemed AC Milan were going to keep Hernan Crespo and we collected information about the best strikers in the world," revealed Mourinho.

"Eto'o was among them and nothing else. In the end Crespo stayed and that was that."

[Ultimate10002000]

Long way to go in title race - Fergie


Sir Alex Ferguson has warned runaway leaders Chelsea that Manchester United have no intention of giving up the Premiership title fight just yet.

The Red Devils still trail Jose Mourinho's men by 10 points and, while Sunday's encounter with West Ham at Upton Park is certain to be an emotional occasion coming so soon after the death of George Best, Ferguson knows United must be fully focused on gaining victory.

Having ended Chelsea's 40-game unbeaten run at Old Trafford earlier this month, Ferguson has waited in vain for the Blues to drop more points.

But despite the Stamford Bridge outfit's imposing advantage, Ferguson has not given up hope of them slipping up again - and he wants his side to be in a position to take maximum advantage.

"Things change quickly in football and the championship race is far from over," he said.

"Chelsea have had a few breaks, as we did when we were storming along in our treble year, but maybe their luck will dry up a little.

"What we have to do is use the performance we produced against Chelsea as a barometer for the future. It is no use beating them if we fail in subsequent games."

Ferguson got the response he was looking for at The Valley last weekend with a clinical display against Charlton.

It was United's fifth away win in seven Premiership outings this term, a stark contrast to their results at Old Trafford, where they had managed just one win prior to the Chelsea victory.

Having failed to account for Villarreal in midweek, the inconsistencies which have plagued the Red Devils this term have clearly not gone away.

But Ferguson is convinced the twin return of Gary Neville and Louis Saha will ease the burden on the young players of whom so much has been demanded this term.

"Because of the injuries, we have been playing a very young side," said Ferguson.

"Six of the squad against Chelsea were 21 or under and it is asking a lot to get consistency into such a raw team.

"When you are at full strength you are able to give the younger people a break, pull them out and keep them fresh.

"As it is, I have had to keep playing them and from time to time, in certain matches, it has showed.

"In terms of the Premiership, I have always felt we would get stronger once we got more of our experienced players back.

"The return of Gary and Louis give us a presence and experience and that can only help us as we approach one of the busiest times of the season."

With the emotion generated by the loss of probably the finest player ever to wear United's famous red shirt still fresh, Ferguson will hope the famous collective Red Devils spirit comes to the surface again.

Although news of Best's death had not been announced as the United boss looked ahead to the Hammers encounter, his view of the sense of community within Old Trafford is even more relevant at such a difficult time for the club.

"There has always been a terrific sense of character within this club," he said.

"There is a strong sense of family, with players prepared to dig deep when they realise we are looking to them for a special effort."

Although a repeat of United's Best-inspired 6-1 title-winning triumph at Upton Park in 1967 is extremely unlikely, Ferguson's side will be looking to mark the occasion with a victory, although he acknowledges it will not be easy against Alan Pardew's progressive side.

"It is going to be a very difficult game because West Ham have had a fantastic start to the season," he said.

"They have a lot of history themselves, good tradition, nice stadium and some terrific players.

"But we have had good results against Chelsea and Charlton and hopefully we can keep that run going."

[Ultimate10002000]

Premier League to probe Jimmy claims


The Premier League are to investigate Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's claim that Chelsea breached their rules over bonus payments last season.

The Middlesbrough striker, who spent four years at Stamford Bridge before leaving for Teesside in summer 2004, alleged that Chelsea had doubled win bonuses after the Champions League quarter-final second leg against Arsenal at Highbury.

Chelsea won the match 2-1 to reach the last four and Hasselbaink claimed that rather than the £50,000 promised in his contract, £100,000 was paid as a bonus following a request by a team-mate to increase player bonuses.

The Premier League are now set to probe the 33-year-old Dutchman's claims, which were made in his autobiography, and are likely to seek an interview with him.

A statement said: "The Premier League has previously received assurances from Chelsea FC that there is no case to answer regarding alleged excess payments to players following the Uefa Champions League fixture between Arsenal FC and Chelsea FC on April 6, 2004.

"We have no reason to doubt Chelsea's assurances. However, given the recent public comments from Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, we are duty-bound to investigate those comments and assess their factual basis."

Under Premier League rules, clubs are not allowed to alter their bonus payments during the course of a season, whatever the competition.

Chelsea have dismissed Hasselbaink's allegations.

"Chelsea has already made it publicly clear on two occasions that it has not made any payments to players in breach of Football Association or Premier League regulations," said a club statement.

"The club stands by those statements totally.

"Moreover, two weeks ago Chelsea invited the Premier League to look at any relevant documentation on this issue before any investigation was considered.

"The Premier League has not taken up that invitation.

"Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has made false statements that potentially bring the game, and Chelsea, into disrepute. These should be investigated fully, and not Chelsea."

[Ultimate10002000]

Lampard delight at Prem record


Frank Lampard was "happy" he set a new Premiership record for consecutive appearances with his 160th for Chelsea against Portsmouth.

Lampard scored Chelsea's second from the penalty spot in a 2-0 win over a struggling Pompey side.

He told Sky Prem Plus: "The goal in the first half helped us get our noses in front and we were able to relax a bit after that.

"I'm happy to get there, it's a nice landmark to break and I'm happy with the goal because it finished them off."

Joe Cole, named man of the match, won the penalty when he went down under a challenge from Dejan Stefanovic.

The England midfielder said of Portsmouth: "They're fighting for their lives and it was a real rough and tumble game today."

[Ultimate10002000]

Blues stroll past Pompey


Click here for match details


Chelsea moved 11 points clear of Arsenal at the top of the table after a 2-0 win at Portsmouth as Frank Lampard made Premiership history.

Lampard marked a record 160th consecutive Premiership appearance with the controversial second-half penalty which set the seal on Chelsea's cruise to victory on the south coast.

After Hernan Crespo had opened the scoring for the league leaders, the England midfielder stroked the ball home from the spot following Dejan Stefanovic's challenge on Joe Cole.

It brought an end to a tumultuous week for Portsmouth chairman Milan Mandaric, who must now dry his eyes over the loss of his close friend George Best and begin to count the cost of employing a new manager.

But there at least there was promise in Pompey's display three days after the sacking of French manager Alain Perrin and as they face the prospect of trips to Manchester United and Tottenham in the next two weeks.

Mandaric is said to be willing to offer Sheffield United's Neil Warnock a generous salary to desert the Blades and move south.

And if Warnock does jump ship, he will not lack support from a passionate home support who sang the name of Best, who often accompanied Mandaric in the directors box at Fratton Park, during the supposed minute's silence in honour of the Manchester United legend, who died yesterday.

Another United old boy, caretaker manager Joe Jordan, had clearly wound up his troops to put themselves about against the champions and delighted the locals with a return to a more orthodox 4-4-2 line up. He also left out the enigmatic Laurent Robert altogether.

To further boost ailing Pompey, Lomana Lualua's first-half performance made it look as though he had toothache rather than malaria last month.

His 18th-minute shot, which had Petr Cech diving and touching the ball over the top after Dario Silva had headed on, deserved better - as did some of the scintillating runs by the Congo striker.

Silva, the Uruguay star who went AWOL last week after international duty, was chosen as Lualua's partner and was a lively presence as well in the first half even if Chelsea were in cruise control for most of the time.

Despite Pompey's efforts, the Londoners only had to wait until the 27th minute for the opening goal which was achieved with the minimum of simplicity by a team who know they have a long, crowded season to fulfil.

Lampard, apparently one of only three Chelsea players wearing a black armband as a mark of respect for Best, played a square pass for full-back Paulo Ferreira to hit.

And although it was a fairly tame effort from 25 yards, Crespo popped up behind Pompey's back four to divert it past Jamie Ashdown for his sixth goal this season.

Before then only a Damien Duff drive had worried the goalkeeper but he got down well to save well to save in the 16th minute.

Crespo, again preferred to Didier Drogba who was not even on the bench, did not last the first half, though. He began limping painfully, clutching his back and ribs and was replaced eight minutes before the break by Carlton Cole.

By then coach Jose Mourinho had attracted the ire of referee Phil Dowd, complaining on the touchline after Richard Hughes had escaped a card for his second crunching foul on Michael Essien.

That came just before Crespo's nimble touch for the goal which, momentarily, at least quietened the Pompey fans who got behind their managerless side right from the start.

But as the second half dissolved into a litany of hard tackles and a collection of bookings, Chelsea just kept a lid on control with their usual ruthless efficiency.

Pompey did not lack for application but eventually Lampard clinched victory with a faultless penalty after Cole had tumbled over Stefanovic's tackle - much to the fury of home players and fans alike.

Jordan raised another cheer by bringing on fans' favourite Svetoslav Todorov as a second-half substitute but there was no fairytale ending for the Bulgarian whose goals brought Pompey up from the old DivisionOne in 2003.

Put through by Lualua right at the end he blazed a golden opportunity over the bar and, as expected, soon the points were on their way back to west London.

[foogary]

Well Done BLUES... Never give up the fighting spirit I guess :s12:

[usjag_18]

Well Done BLUES... Never give up the fighting spirit I guess :s12:
huh??? wat kinda of fighting spirit is Chelsea showing?? Are they facing two goals down against them or facing the whole team getting injuries problems??? It's nt as if they are facing any BIG and STRONG opponents....

[martinweng]

huh??? wat kinda of fighting spirit is Chelsea showing?? Are they facing two goals down against them or facing the whole team getting injuries problems??? It's nt as if they are facing any BIG and STRONG opponents....

mabbe they do have fighting spirit.

juz dat they cant show it.

they'll never have injury crisis. and they'll never face a team dat will be favourites against them.

[Ultimate10002000]

Jose: Bruisers won't stop us


Jose Mourinho has warned Chelsea's Premiership rivals they will not kick his team off the top of the table with a rough-and-ready approach.

The champions took Portsmouth's tough-guy tactics on the chin in a 2-0 win at Fratton Park on Saturday evening.

Pompey had been wound up to close the class-gap with a volatile approach and were lucky not to incur more than four bookings - especially abrasive midfielders Richard Hughes and Salif Diao.

Mourinho took off Joe Cole before the end after Portsmouth players accused him of diving for the penalty that clinched victory midway through the second half and what should have been another soon afterwards when referee Phil Dowd ruled a free-kick inches outside the area.

Mourinho, whose team are still to concede a goal in the second half this season, said: "Joe has four bookings already this season and the next one will see him miss the next game. So I thought I would take him off in case he suffered a reaction to some of the treatment.

"But I don't think it would have mattered for sure. Joe was okay and too powerful for them. So no problem. My team is a tough team, a lot of tough boys. They are players with a lot of confidence and are not afraid of a physical game.

"People think we only drew at Everton because we were worried by a physical game but we only drew there because we made a mistake to give away a penalty. It was nothing to do with being afraid of Duncan Ferguson.

"Teams can beat us if they are better than us, if they have a lucky day or we don't play well. But not in a aggressive way - especially with a referee who controls it.

"I didn't think Portsmouth were too aggressive. They were aggressive, sure, but this was not a match for red cards. They tried to foul us to stop us from time to time but it was good to see the referee giving a yellow card here and there to keep it under control.

"Teams won't intimidate us because we have a good record. Carlo Cudicini was the last player we had sent off for something outside the box at Newcastle in the cup last season.

Substitute Carlton Cole, who replaced Hernan Crespo in the 37th minute, was Chelsea's only booking for a foul on Gary O'Neil but the striker Portsmouth wanted to take on loan in the January window now looks as though he has finally got a job to do for Chelsea under Mourinho.

The manager said: "We've got (Didier) Drogba injured and now Crespo with maybe his back or ribs or legs - we don't know yet. I hope he recovers soon because he's on fire with three goals in three matches.

"But we needed Carlton in Brussels against Anderlecht last week and we needed him in the first half at Portsmouth. He did a good job for us and I had nobody else for that position while we only led 1-0.

"It was difficult but as soon as we got the penalty for the second goal it was quite comfortable. We should have had a second penalty when Joe Cole was brought down again but the referee thought it was outside the box."

Mourinho had incurred official Phil Dowd's wrath in the first half when he gesticulated on the touchline after Pompey's Hughes had committed two fouls on Michael Essien within minutes of each other and still did not receive a yellow card until much later.

Mourinho explained: "The referee came over and asked whether he thought I believed the Portsmouth player wanted to play the ball or kick us and I told him I thought he wanted to kick us. He told me just to watch the game and let him run it.

"But I thought he handled it well and did mostly the right things. He's a good chap."

Although Mourinho would not rise to the clearly pertinent question of whether the nippy, inventive Joe Cole is a modern-day George Best, he was unstinting in his praise of midfielder Frank Lampard whose penalty was his 11th goal of the season in his 160th record consecutive Premiership appearance.

Mourinho, who still has another key midfielder Claude Makelele out injured, said: "Frank's record is unbelievable and I think it is unbeatable - only by him if he goes to the next game and then the next and does not lose his motivation."

[Ultimate10002000]

Mourinho marvels at Cole


Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho praised the performance of midfielder Joe Cole during his side's 2-0 victory at struggling Portsmouth.

Hernan Crespo put Chelsea ahead with a clever 27th-minute goal when he diverted home Paulo Ferreira's speculative shot before Frank Lampard added a second from the penalty spot after Cole was tripped by Dejan Stefanovic.

Mourinho saw his team go 11 points clear at the top of the Premiership and he said: "We were quite comfortable in the end. Portsmouth's players were aggressive but not too aggressive and our players did well to cope.

"Joe Cole played a good game and I only took him off before the end because he has four bookings and will be suspended after the next one.

"Joe is one of the best wingers in the game but I'm going to leave him in peace and not call him the new George Best like you ask."

[Ultimate10002000]

Carlton to seize chance


Chelsea youngster Carlton Cole has five weeks to convince coach Jose Mourinho that he does not need to buy a new striker when the transfer window opens in January.

Mourinho's options in attack suffered another blow during Saturday's win over Portsmouth when in-form Argentina striker Hernan Crespo was removed from the action after 38 minutes with a rib injury that was still being assessed by the club's medical department today.

With Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba already out with a minor knee complaint suffered on international duty, Mourinho had to throw England Under-21 international Cole into the action against Pompey.

Presuming he is fit, Drogba is set to play for his country in the African Nations Cup in January and his absence could finally hand Cole the first team opportunity that he has longed for.

Crespo's injury, while unfortunate for the player who has fired three goals in his last three games for Chelsea, could open the door for Cole earlier than even he anticipated.

Ironically, it could be argued that Crespo's current form was inspired by Cole's claim that the Argentinian was unsettled at the club because of the lack of first team chances.

Crespo moved swiftly to deny Cole's claims and his form since the youngster's comments would appear to underline his determination to remain at Stamford Bridge.

But Cole is well aware that the injuries to Mourinho's first choice strikers will present him with a gilt-edged opening to prove that he can make the step up to the Premiership standard.

Cole believes Mourinho should have given him an opportunity after he scored for the England Under-21s against Austria and Poland but remains determined to seize any chance to impress.

In the same interview which saw him cast doubt on Crespo's happiness at Stamford Bridge, Cole maintained he was prepared to wait for regular first team football. The 22-year-old has two years left on his contract and although Mourinho will weigh up his options with regards to buying a new striker in January, there is now no chance of the youngster leaving.

"I have a chance of doing something at Chelsea because we've got Didier Drogba going to the African Nations Cup," said Cole. "I am confident in my ability - I am learning from world-class players. Once I get games you'll see the fruits.

"I scored for England Under-21s against Austria and Poland and when I got back Jose put me on the bench and I wanted to kick on from there, but he held me back again and that was frustrating.

"Let's see what happens in January, you never know what will happen, but I'll talk to the manager and see what he wants to do with me.

"I've got two years left on my contract and I haven't set myself a time limit. I don't know what the answer is."

Cole's plan to talk to Mourinho about his own future will have been superseded by events involving Crespo and Drogba.

The Chelsea coach made it clear that the England striker was firmly in his plans following the problems with his first choice strikers.

"We've got Drogba injured and now Crespo with maybe his back or ribs or legs - we don't know yet," said Mourinho. "But we needed Carlton in Brussels against Anderlecht last week and we needed him in the first half at Portsmouth. He did a good job for us and I had nobody else for that position while we only led 1-0."

Mourinho could still opt to bring in a loan striker for the remainder of the season and he is further troubled by the prospect of losing Michael Essien during the same month.

Essien is also tipped to play for Ghana in the African Nations Cup and if Claude Makelele fails to recover from knee ligament damage before the end of the year, then the Chelsea coach will have some difficult decisions to make.

[Ultimate10002000]

Lions land Pidgeley


Millwall have averted their goalkeeping crisis by signing Lenny Pidgeley on loan in time for the Carling Cup match with Birmingham.

The 21-year-old joins on a seven-day "emergency" loan from Chelsea, as the Lions had no other goalkeeper available for the match.

Colin Doyle is on loan at the club from Birmingham and was prevented from playing in the game, while Andy Marshall has a knee injury and Paul Jones has returned to Wolves after completing a three-month loan spell.

Midfielders Jody Morris and David Livermore return from suspension and on-loan Jermaine Wright is also available after an agreement was reached with his parent club Leeds.

But defenders Matt Lawrence (foot) and Mark Phillips (groin) miss the game, as do defenders Ady Williams and Zak Whitbread and striker Bruce Dyer, who are cup-tied having played in earlier rounds for Coventry, Liverpool and Stoke respectively.

[Ultimate10002000]

Mourinho lauds Lampard


Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho praised Frank Lampard after the England midfielder broke the Premiership record for consecutive appearances against Portsmouth.

Lampard featured for the Blues for the 160th successive match, a run which began with an appearance as a 73rd-minute substitute against Leicester on 13 October 2001.

He marked the feat by slotting home a second-half penalty to seal a 2-0 success after Hernan Crespo had opened the scoring.

Mourinho said: "Frank was in good form as usual. It is an incredible feat to play 160 games in a row in the league and if anybody ever breaks that it will only be him by going on and playing the next and the next."

[Ultimate10002000]

Ronaldinho takes top award


Barcelona playmaker Ronaldinho has been named the 2005 European Footballer of the Year.

The Brazilian edged out English duo Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard to win the 50th edition of France Football magazine's prestigious Ballon D'Or award at a gala ceremony in Paris on Monday night.

Ronaldinho, named Fifa World Player of the Year in December, finished third in the running in 2004 behind winner Andriy Shevchenko of AC Milan and his Barcelona team-mate Deco.

The 25-year-old becomes the fifth Barca player to pick up the award, which is voted for by European football journalists, since Blackpool's Stanley Matthews won the inaugural Ballon D'Or in 1956.

Luis Suarez was the first Barca player to achieve the feat in 1960 before Johan Cruyff picked up back-to-back awards in 1973 and 1974.

Hristo Stoichkov was the next Barca star to win the title in 1994 and Ronaldinho's compatriot Rivaldo also claimed the honour in 1999 - four years after it was opened up to non-European players.

Ronaldinho was instrumental in Barcelona clinching their first Primera Liga title since 1999 last season, scoring nine goals and providing many more.

He is in arguably even better form at the start of this term, a penalty in Sunday's win over Racing Santander seeing him match last year's entire league haul after just 12 games.

His performance in Barcelona's 3-0 win at bitter rivals Real Madrid little over a week ago earned the player a standing ovation from members of the Bernabeu crowd, an honour only previously bestowed on a Barca player when Argentina legend Diego Maradona played there in the 1980s.

Ronaldinho has been equally impressive in Europe, scoring five goals in Barca's five Champions League games so far to help them progress easily to the knockout stages.

His tally already betters the four Champions League goals he scored last season, when Barca were beaten by eventual Premiership champions Chelsea in the quarter-finals.

Brazil have also seen the best of Ronaldinho this year.

He was a key figure in the world champions topping the South American qualifying group, and was the campaign's top scorer with 10 goals.

He also netted three times in five games in this summer's Confederations Cup win in Germany, including once in the 4-1 final victory over Argentina, where his stunning all-round display earned him the man-of-the-match award.

The clear favourite for the award, Ronaldinho was the overwhelming winner, his 225 points dwarfing Chelsea's Lampard (148) and Liverpool's Gerrard (142).

They in turn were well clear of Arsenal's Thierry Henry, who repeated last year's fourth place with 41 points.

The 2004 winner Shevchenko finished fifth on 33 points, one of three AC Milan players in the top 10, along with Paolo Maldini and Kaka.

Last year's Champions League finalists had the most representatives in the top 10, while Barca and Chelsea had two each with Ronaldinho's team-mate Samuel Eto'o tying for 10th with Blues skipper John Terry.

[Ultimate10002000]

Chelsea contest FA fine


Chelsea will appeal against the £30,000 fine imposed by the Football Association for failing to control their fans at a Carling Cup tie against West Ham last season.

Riot police were required after fans clashed at the end of the game on 27 October last year. Police were confronted by supporters in a corner section of the ground 10 minutes after the game and it took 15 minutes for order to be restored.

Chelsea striker Mateja Kezman, who scored the only goal of the tie at Stamford Bridge, was struck on the head by a missile and was forced to leave the field for treatment during play.

Both clubs were also warned as to their future conduct by an FA disciplinary commission, although Blues officials will contest the fine.

"Chelsea is to appeal the verdict and the punishment following the decision by an FA disciplinary commission sanctions hearing," read a statement from the Premiership champions, who went on to win the Carling Cup last season.

"Chelsea and West Ham were reprimanded and warned as to their future conduct today. Chelsea were also fined £30,000. No financial penalty was imposed on West Ham.

"Having considered the outcome, Chelsea will be contesting that punishment and the guilty verdict."

[Ultimate10002000]

Stats back up Lampard award


Frank Lampard may have only pipped Steven Gerrard by six votes to finish as runner-up to Ronaldinho for the Ballon D'Or but Premiership statistics suggest the Chelsea midfielder's form is far superior this season.

Barcelona forward Ronaldinho was named European footballer of the year with English football well represented as Lampard took second, Liverpool captain Gerrard third and Arsenal skipper Thierry Henry fourth.

Lampard made his 160th successive league appearance for Chelsea in their win over Portsmouth on Saturday, breaking the Premiership record while Gerrard has appeared on a less regular basis due to injury and squad rotation.

Indeed, Lampard has played 1,320 minutes in the league this season compared with Gerrard's 891.

As a result Lampard leads the Actim Index, the official Premiership ratings, with a total score of 3.96 so far while Gerrard is further down the list in 60th with 1.59.

But the Chelsea star's average match score shows he deserves to be ahead of his England colleague. While Gerrard averages 0.16 points per match, Lampard's is almost double on 0.28 thanks partly to his goalscoring exploits.

Lampard's 11 goals dwarf Gerrard's current league tally of two. The former West Ham man has tried his luck with 27 shots on target while Reds captain Gerrard has only managed 11.

When it comes to match averages, however, no player can match Henry, who finished top of the Index last season.

Although he is currently sixth in the Index, his average of 0.33 is far superior to any other player in the Premiership and only a nagging groin injury has kept him from regaining his place at the top of the pile.

The Frenchman has enjoyed even less playing time than Gerrard, with only 666 minutes under his belt, but amazing goals and match-winning performances have ensured he is still in the running.

The index is the official Premiership ratings system which ranks each player according to how effective they are.

The scores come from the system giving each player a score according to how effective their performances are, rather than a tally of goals, assists or saves.

Former professionals report on the action live from the grounds and the final rating is reached after applying a mathematical formula.

Goals, shots on target, corners, fouls, offside, passes, tackles, blocks and clearances are all taken into consideration and each player adds to his points total with each game.

[Ultimate10002000]

Ronaldinho hails Prem pair


European Footballer of the Year Ronaldinho praised England midfielders Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard as "players with a lot of quality".

The Chelsea man finished second in the vote for the Ballon D'Or prize awarded to the top player on the continent behind the Brazilian magician, with Gerrard - who led Liverpool to Champions League glory - in third.

Ronaldinho told the Daily Telegraph: "Lampard and Gerrard are great players, they deserve to be rewarded in this way and it is a pleasure for me to see them play in the Premiership.

"It is great to see such talented footballers at such a young age."

Ronaldinho won 225 points in the vote, with Lampard second on 148 and Gerrard six votes behind his England team-mate.

[Ultimate10002000]

Cole: I'm definitely no diver


Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole has denied he is a "diver" after being accused of feigning a foul during the 2-0 victory over Portsmouth on Saturday.

Pompey fans turned on the England star after he earned the Premiership champions a penalty in the second half at Fratton Park.

Cole was brought down by Dejan Stefanovic and Frank Lampard, who making a record-breaking 160th consecutive Premiership appearance, scored from the spot to ensure Chelsea moved 10 points clear of their nearest rivals at the top of the league.

But Cole insists the accusations are untrue and explained the game is played at such a speed these days that even the merest touch from a defender can send a player flying.

"There are some players in this country who are divers but I'm not one of them," insisted Cole.

"I would never dive. It was definitely a penalty. I wasn't trying to get anyone booked or sent off but they were fouling me so many times that sooner or later the ref was going to make a decision.

"It was frustrating for me to be accused of diving because we've not had many dribbling players in this country for a few years.

"Sometimes you run at such high speed that if you get clipped you go flying. It can look like a dive but that's misleading because it's never intentional.

"Stefanovic definitely clipped me after we had scored the first goal but I didn't know if the referee would realise that."

Cole thought he was heading for a suspension instead of earning his side a penalty when the whistle first went.

"I thought he was coming over to book me so I made a gesture to say I hadn't dived," explained Cole.

"I wasn't saying it wasn't a foul. I was already on four bookings and another one would mean a suspension.

"The one thing I have shown is that I cannot be kicked out of a game. I've never been the sort of player to pull out of a challenge. That's why I've already had four yellow cards this season. I do like a tackle.

"I enjoy the physical side of the game and, if you can't cope with that, then you wouldn't be able to survive in the Premiership."

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Frank targets 200-game run


Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard wants to reach a double-century of consecutive Premiership appearances and make his record "impossible" to be caught.

The 27-year-old has featured in 160 games in a row, passing the previous mark set by Manchester City goalkeeper David James.

His achievement, along with consistent high-level performances, meant Lampard finished second behind Barcelona's Ronaldinho in the European Footballer of the Year poll.

Despite a temptation for Blues boss Jose Mourinho to rest Lampard, the England international does not want a spell on the sidelines.

"I want to push on beyond 200 games and make it impossible for anyone to break the record," Lampard said.

"I don't like being rested and I don't want to take a break now. I really enjoy playing week-in, week-out and I've done that for the past four seasons.

"So I want to keep going until my legs tell me I can't do it any more or the manager decides to leave me out.

"I've been lucky with injuries but a lot of that is down to the way I live my life."

Liverpool's Steven Gerrard finished third behind Lampard in the poll, with England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson insisting the pair are in one of the strongest midfields to qualify for next year's World Cup in Germany.

Although it has been suggested England's midfield duo do not compliment each other in the same side, Eriksson insists their quality is part of his side's strengths.

Skipper David Beckham plays on the right and Joe Cole has been favoured in the problematic left-midfield berth, and Eriksson believes he has "one of the best midfields in the world".

"I am so happy for them both," Eriksson said. "Of course it will give them a big lift to know that they are so highly regarded across Europe, but I also think that it is only a fitting recognition for what they have both achieved in the last year.

"When you put them alongside David Beckham you can see why the midfield is one of the strongest parts of our team and also why I believe we have one of the best midfields in the world.

"I think we are getting more from our midfielders now and I hope they will stay fit and strong for the rest of the season and through to the World Cup finals."

Ronaldinho added: "Lampard and Gerrard are great players, they deserve to be rewarded in this way and it is a pleasure for me to see them play in the Premiership.

"It is great to see such talented footballers at such a young age."

With Liverpool centre-back Jamie Carragher and Chelsea skipper John Terry included in the team of the year, Eriksson sees a bright future.

"We also had John Terry, Jamie Carragher, David Beckham, Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney nominated," he said.

"So it's really encouraging for the England Team and, with seven players of the team of the year coming from the Premier League, it shows how high the standard of football is in this country."

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Diarra impressed by Lyon


Chelsea's young French midfielder Lassana Diarra has pinpointed Lyon as a team to be feared in this season's Champions League.

The 20-year-old midfielder, understudy to anchorman Claude Makelele at Stamford Bridge, has kept a close eye on Gerard Houllier's side.

And while Chelsea look to top Group G with victory over Premiership rivals Liverpool next week, Diarra believes Lyon could pose more of a threat in Europe than the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, AC Milan and Juventus.

"Lyon are a machine," Diarra told L'Equipe. "This team can win the Champions League, just like us. Lyon are leading Le Championnat by 11 points, which means a lot of things about their potential and qualities.

"Even here we take care about them. They are a great team. We have to take care of them in the European Cup."

The youngster has made a number of substitute appearances in the Champions League this season after coming on for his debut in the 4-0 win over Real Betis at Stamford Bridge.

Despite his belief that Lyon may be a major threat to their progress this season, Diarra is adamant Chelsea are in an upbeat mood ahead of their final group game.

The French youngster believes the real strength of Chelsea is their strength of mind and a coach, Jose Mourinho, who can motivate everyone.

"We really have a strong group. Everyone fights for his team-mate, there is huge help," said Diarra. "When I came from Le Havre, straight away the players and the club did everything for me to feel at ease.

"Moreover the coach has great words. He can motivate everyone, he knows what to do to improve his group.

"He has very precise rules to work. We make a lot of videos, but above all we are working on our own qualities.

"But I repeat, this really is a group with solidarity, that never gives up, and that wants to win everything.

"That state of mind is really our strength."

Meanwhile, Chelsea are hoping Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba will have recovered from the slight knee strain he picked up on international duty to lead the attack against Middlesbrough this weekend.

Chelsea could start with England Under-21 international Carlton Cole in that role if Hernan Crespo, out with a rib injury, and Drogba both fail to respond to treatment this week.

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Lampard in world award hat


Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard will go head to head with Ronaldinho again next month in the race to be named Fifa's World Player of the Year.

The England star finished second behind the brilliant Brazilian in the European Footballer of the Year award announced earlier this week and Ronaldinho is the favourite to retain the world title he won last year.

There is competition also from Ronaldinho's Barcelona team-mate Samuel Eto'o, the Cameroon striker, who like Lampard has made it on to the three-man shortlist for the first time.

Lampard, 27, was named the Footballer of the Year in England last season as Chelsea ran away with the title.

Last weekend he broke the record for consecutive appearances in the Premiership, making 160 appearances in a row.

The world player award will be announced at a Fifa gala in Zurich on 19 December. The coaches and captains of every national team have voted for their top player based on a list of candidates drawn up by Fifa.

Ronaldinho is the clear favourite - a Spanish-based player has won the award for the last four years, and it has never been won by a player from the Premiership.

In the women's Player of the Year shortlist, Germany's Birgit Prinz - the award winner in 2004 and 2003 - is nominated again alongside Brazil's Marta and the USA's Shannon Boxx.

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Sven: Lampard has no weaknesses


England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson believes Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard's game is now without weakness.

Lampard will go head-to-head with Ronaldinho again next month after both were included on the three-man shortlist to be Fifa's World Player of the Year.

Lampard finished second behind Barcelona's brilliant Brazilian in the European Footballer of the Year award announced earlier this week and Ronaldinho is the favourite to retain the world title he won last year.

There is competition also from Ronaldinho's Barcelona team-mate Samuel Eto'o, the Cameroon striker, who like Lampard has made it on to the shortlist for the first time.

"I am absolutely delighted for Frank," said Eriksson. "We have already seen this week how highly regarded he is in Europe and now this shows what people think of him all over the world. He is one of the best midfielders in the world right now.

"I can think of almost no weakness in his game. He has tremendous energy, a complete range of passing - both long and short, he can tackle and he scores more goals from midfield than most strikers. Add to that his fitness and consistency, which have now created new records in England, and you can see how many assets he has a player."

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Blues hopeful over Drogba


Chelsea are hoping Didier Drogba will have recovered from a slight knee strain to lead the attack against Middlesbrough this weekend.

The Ivory Coast striker sustained the injury on international duty and has missed the last three games.

Chelsea could start with England Under-21 international Carlton Cole in that role if Hernan Crespo, out with a rib injury, and Drogba both fail to respond to treatment this week.

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Blues offered Ballack chance


Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon has confirmed the club have been offered the chance to sign Bayern Munich midfielder Michael Ballack.

Kenyon told Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge that Ballack's agent had approached the Premiership champions with a view to sounding out their interest in the 29-year-old German international.

Ballack's future is now uncertain after the club withdrew their contract offer.

The midfielder is out of contract at the end of the season but Manchester United have ruled themselves out of the running for his signature.

Inter Milan and Real Madrid have been linked with a move for the talented player although Bayern have not yet given up on persuading him to remain at the club.

However, Rummenigge revealed Chelsea chairman Peter Kenyon and Real Madrid president Florentino Perez had informed him of the approaches from Ballack's agent.

"Ballack has been offered to Real Madrid and Chelsea," admitted Rummenigge.

"I have a good friendship with Florentino Perez of Real Madrid and with Peter Kenyon of Chelsea, and both have informed me of everything that has happened."

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No Chelsea probe into leak


Chelsea have decided not to launch an internal investigation into how one of Jose Mourinho's famous pre-match dossiers ended up on the internet.

The club are mystified as to how the detailed five-page tactical assessment for their home match with Newcastle last month managed to find its way into the public domain.

But they will not be conducting a witch hunt to identify the source of the leak and, although the club are refusing to comment on the report's authenticity, it appears to be a remarkable example of Mourinho's well researched pre-match dossiers.

Some elements are understood to have been altered by the recipient but the front cover of the document is allegedly in an identical format to that used by the Portuguese coach for all his briefings.

The remaining four pages detail Newcastle's strengths and weaknesses and focuses on their tactics. The report includes detailed pitch diagrams and Chelsea's player are ordered to make the most of Jean-Alain Boumsong penchant for 'silly mistakes' as well as highlighting the 'inconsistency' of goalkeeper Shay Given.

However, the report appears to have been an early draft as two of the forwards covered by the tactical breakdown were absent through injury on the day of the match.

Alan Shearer was still recovering from his hernia operation while England striker Michael Owen was sidelined because of a groin injury that ruled him out on the day of the game.

The tactics worked as Chelsea won the game 3-0 with second half goals coming from Joe Cole, Hernan Crespo and Damien Duff with the Barclays Premiership champions taking full advantage of individual errors from Titus Bramble and Boumsong.

But Mourinho's plans were so advanced they even included the fact Newcastle normally put two players in an opposition wall at free-kicks and there were other sections devoted to United's attack and defence.

The final section focused on set-plays and how Chelsea would benefit from eliminating crosses into the penalty box for Shearer.

The most important areas for attention from the Chelsea players were underlined in red and Mourinho told his players: "They can try offsides but always believe in bad timing and bad judgement from both central defenders.

"Defence is highly inconsistent both due to individual mistakes or due to line unco-ordination."

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Duo back in Blues squad


Jose Mourinho has been boosted by the inclusion of striker Didier Drogba and winger Arjen Robben for Saturday's clash with Middlesbrough at Stamford Bridge.

However, there is no place for Argentina striker Hernan Crespo who is ruled out with the rib injury he sustained against Portsmouth last week.

Although back in training, the game has come to early for Crespo whose place will now be handed back to Drogba.

He has recovered from the knee problem sustained on international duty while Robben is fit again after hamstring trouble.

Chelsea (from): Cech, Cudicini, Ferreira, Gallas, Terry, Carvalho, Huth, del Horno, Bridge, Essien, Lampard, Duff, Robben, Drogba, Diarra, Gudjohnsen, Wright-Phillips, J Cole, C Cole, Geremi.

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Blues rule out Ballack move


Bayern Munich midfielder Michael Ballack will not be arriving at Chelsea next month after coach Jose Mourinho ruled out any activity in the transfer market.

The Portuguese coach will lose Michael Essien to Ghana and Didier Drogba to the Ivory Coast next month as the pair report for international duty in the African Nations Cup in Egypt.

But Mourinho insists he will not be tempted to make any loan signings to cover for their absence.

Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge on Thursday revealed that Ballack's agent had offered the player, whose contract with the German side expires next summer, to both Real Madrid and Chelsea.

But Mourinho confirmed he was not interested in signing the German and then declared there will be no movement in the market for Chelsea - either in or out.

"I am not even thinking about other players," said Mourinho. "I don't want players in the open market in January.

"I don't want players because at this moment I am just concentrating on my squad.

"I know I will lose a couple of players in January to the African Nations Cup but I am just thinking about this season, not other players.

"I don't expect any ins or outs in January at Chelsea."

Mourinho's decision not to make any loan signings in the January transfer window may come back to haunt him if Hernan Crespo, Carlton Cole or Eidur Gudjohnsen get injured while Drogba is away.

However, the Chelsea coach was celebrating a double boost ahead of Saturday's home match against Middlesbrough when he announced that Drogba and Arjen Robben were included in his squad.

But the news was tempered slightly by the unavailability of in-form Argentinian striker Crespo, who has failed to recover sufficiently from the rib injury he sustained in the win over Portsmouth last weekend.

Crespo has scored in the last three Chelsea games, including the opening goal in the game against Pompey at Fratton Park, but is still in pain despite returning to training earlier this week.

Robben, out of action since Chelsea's 1-0 defeat to Real Betis in the Champions League last month, has finally shaken off the hamstring problem which played havoc with the Dutch winger's confidence.

Mourinho confirmed: "Robben is selected.

"I think he is an unbelievable player so when he is fit he is fantastic. So I hope he can get back at a good level.

"Maybe he won't make a great impact because he has been out for a few weeks, but he is involved and will play.

"I don't know whether it will be 90 minutes or one minute, but he will be involved in the game."

Mourinho was recently criticised by Holland coach Marco van Basten for trying to rush Robben back before the player had fully recovered from his injury.

But the Portuguese revealed he had left the final decision over his fitness to the player and had finally received confirmation from Robben that he felt fit enough to make a comeback.

Mourinho explained: "He has been training with the group for the last two weeks, so it is not a question of arrive, train and go.

"The decision was taken to leave him out of the team, to give him more time, to feel strong and to feel fit. He feels very good.

"I asked him again this week about his fitness and for the first time the answer was a very strong one.

"He is ready and Drogba is back but Crespo is out. I think Crespo will be back next week."

The Chelsea coach is famed for his pre-match dossiers on the opposition and this week Chelsea were stunned to see notes, purporting to be Mourinho's for the 3-0 win over Newcastle at Stamford Bridge, splashed all over the media and the internet this week.

However he insisted: "I saw it but it was not my report.

"The technique is the same I think and the design programme used is the same for sure. There are no secrets. The point is what is contained inside."

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Jose plays down Reds clash


Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho insists he is unconcerned whether Blues finish top of Champions League Group G when they face Liverpool on Tuesday.

It will be the fourth time in the last two seasons that the clubs have locked horns with just one significant goal to show for their combined efforts.

Luis Garcia's hotly disputed goal in the semi-final of the second leg at Anfield last season put Liverpool into the final against AC Milan where Rafael Benitez's side produced an amazing second-half comeback before eventually becoming kings of Europe in a tense penalty shoot out.

Indeed, Mourinho maintains that Chelsea's 4-1 Premiership victory over Liverpool earlier this season is the best match the rivals have produced.

But even though he feels the importance of finishing top of the group has lost some of its shine after the Blues were paired with Spanish giants Barcelona last season, Mourinho will still be aiming for a victory.

"We have the chance to play a good game against Liverpool," said Mourinho. "The other three games against them in Europe have not been good games but I will be sending a team out to win.

"You have to play every game to try to win and with two English teams it is important for the fans, but the consequence of being first or second I don't see. You could get Real Madrid or Lyon.

"Why is it different playing Juventus or Bayern Munich? Last year we were first and had to play Barcelona."

Juventus are the side which Chelsea's England midfielder Frank Lampard has pinpointed as the biggest threat to their hopes of going one step further than the semi-final stage the Londoners have reached in the last two seasons.

Although Barcelona and Lyon will also provide formidable opponents for any side in Europe, Lampard reckons the Serie A leaders have a great chance of going all the way - citing the addition of summer signing Patrick Vieira from Arsenal as one of the main reasons for their superb form.

The French midfielder has been instrumental for Fabio Capello's side and the Italians have struggled whenever Vieira has been out through injury or suspension.

"I think our strongest rivals are Juventus," said Lampard. "They were already a great side before, but since Vieira's arrival they have been fantastic."

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Terry's all gold for Blues


Click here for match details


John Terry emerged as the safest bet to inspire Chelsea to victory against a determined Middlesbrough team as Jose Mourinho's side reinforced their Premiership lead.

The Chelsea captain, whose high-stakes gambling habits have been condoned by his manager, earned cash for those who staked money on him as the first goalscorer against Boro.

However, while his header went in off Fabio Rochemback, the England defender was credited with the goal and his impact was decisive on his 250th career appearance in breaking the deadlock at Stamford Bridge.

If that twist of fate seemed somewhat ironic, so too did the sight of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink unwittingly ensuring that Roman Abramovich had to pay out another win bonus after he squandered a clear early chance.

Hasselbaink sparked controversy with his claim - now partly retracted - that Chelsea flouted rules by doubling the players' win bonuses for beating Arsenal in the Champions League in 2004.

However, the Dutchman struck the post against his former club after 13 minutes when it appeared easier to score and that was as close as Boro came to beating Petr Cech.

With Terry's goal on 61 minutes, Chelsea's mini-blip looked well and truly over, with four consecutive victories since their back-to-back defeats by Real Betis and Manchester United.

As an added bonus, Arsenal's defeat at Bolton ensured the Blues moved 14 points ahead of the Gunners, who have just one game in hand. It is looking ominous already.

Hasselbaink, meanwhile, had started the day one goal short of amassing a total of 150 strikes for English clubs. That he remains on 149 was due to his costly early miss.

Yakubu, who had replaced Mark Viduka up front, made a powerful run that took him to the edge of the penalty area and, when his shot was only half-blocked by Terry, Hasselbaink should have taken full advantage.

However, with Asier del Horno pressuring him, the Dutchman lost his balance at the vital moment and his effort rolled against the bar and out to safety.

After living dangerously, Chelsea were stung into a response.

Arjen Robben, who had returned after a month on the sidelines, was looking especially lively and having skipped inside two opponents as he darted in from the left touchline, he shot past the far post.

Terry's header was, meanwhile, somehow scrambled off the line amid a desperate goalmouth scramble as William Gallas threatened, while Frank Lampard blasted a half-volley straight at Mark Schwarzer.

Terry produced another powerful header that was cleared off the line, this time by Rochemback, while Lampard blazed his follow-up effort over the bar.

In contrast, Boro's efforts were rather more infrequent, with Yakubu's snap-shot deflected wide and Chris Riggott heading the ensuing corner past the far post.

Robben, meanwhile, was taking centre stage. One bewitching run sent Doriva helplessly spinning in circles, but Lampard could not keep his shot on target as he stretched to meet his near-post centre.

Gareth Southgate continued to mastermind Boro's defensive resolve after the break, barring Didier Drogba's path to goal with one excellent interception.

However, Chelsea finally seized the lead with 61 minutes gone as Terry powered another header towards goal from Damien Duff's corner, with Rochemback initially blocking the ball with one leg but then seeing it rebound in off his other leg.

Lampard almost doubled Chelsea's lead two minutes later from Robben's cutback but Schwarzer was alive to the danger, while Drogba hoofed a clear chance over the bar as he blamed the pitch for a bobble.

Mourinho immediately moved to strengthen his midfield, with Geremi replacing Eidur Gudjohnsen, while Boro responded with Viduka replacing Hasselbaink.

Both sides made further changes, but with little impact. Lampard wasted another chance, blazing a shot over the bar, but Boro never truly threatened to equalise.

Chelsea's grip on the title race continues to strengthen. That much, at least, seems a racing certainty.

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Cheer !!! Well done Chelsea, keep up the good performance.

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Peter sets sights on Blues


Liverpool goal hero Peter Crouch has overcome one mighty challenge and now has his sights set on the real battle of catching Chelsea.

Crouch has scored at last for the Reds, they are in a more realistic third place in the Premier League - having risen 10 places in five weeks on the back of six successive league wins - but the celebrations are muted because the champions are still seemingly untouchable.

Liverpool turn their attention from suppressing a defiant Wigan by virtue of extending an eight-match unbeaten run without a goal conceded, to matching themselves against the very best.

They get one chance on Tuesday in the Champions League clash at Stamford Bridge, with both English sides already qualified for the last 16.

But the real challenge is reducing the title battle from a one horse race.

Liverpool are now 12 points behind Chelsea with a game in hand, and Crouch, fresh from his first senior goal since 7 May, believes it is an attainable target.

Crouch, who insists he will claim the first debatable strike against Wigan, believes Chelsea are beatable in Europe and domestic action.

Crouch said: "Eight clean sheets on the trot gives us a platform for the future. I know Chelsea have a big lead at the top but we would like to think that if they did slip up then we will be there to take advantage.

"We are not conceding and looking a real threat. If we can keep this up we can put real pressure on them."

And Crouch bucks the trend of not being bothered who wins the final Group G match in West London when the sides clash for the eighth time in 14 months.

He said: "People say it doesn't matter whether we win at Chelsea or not. But it does matter, if only for our pride.

"We want to finish above them in the group, a lot of very good sides will also win their groups so we need to avoid them in the draw.

"It will give us confidence when we go into the next stage."

All this open confidence would have been unrealistic had Crouch not ended 24 hours plus playing time without a goal.

He says of these difficult few months: "It meant a lot for me to score, people have been talking about me not scoring but we are winning games and that's all that matters.

"I'm claiming the first goal, it was always on target and if you take every goal away a 'keeper touches, strikers won't have many on their totals.

"And I'm more than happy the second one went in. It's pleasing for me but it's more important for the team.

"Everyone around Liverpool has been great with me. Others have their opinions but they have not been watching the games, my team-mates, manager and the fans have been top class.

"You cannot doubt yourself when the people around you are believing in you and I believe in myself as well.

"Other clubs may not have been so patient. Fans would have had a go at me but there's been nothing like that from the Liverpool fans.

"They have been willing me on and the goals are for them as well as for me and my team.

"A lot of people have believed in me during this barren spell and I can only thank them for their support."

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Pay-back time for Robben - Mourinho


Jose Mourinho has called on Arjen Robben to put three months of injury frustration behind him and finally start reproducing his best form for Chelsea in the second half of the season.

Robben had been ruled out for almost five weeks with a mysterious injury complaint, which affected his hamstring but stemmed from his back - the third time it had afflicted him this season.

But he made an immediate impact when he returned in Chelsea's 1-0 win against Middlesbrough, even if the Blues had to rely on John Terry's header - deflected in by Fabio Rochemback - for victory.

"Now we don't need to rest him, he needs to play. I feel that he cannot play for 90 minutes as he doesn't yet have the legs," said Mourinho.

"But he needs to play and score goals, to get back to great performances and show what he can do. We are in early December and he's given us very little this season.

"A player like him has to give us a lot. We've been waiting for him, now he's back and we know what he can give to our team. He will give us points and victories, there is no doubt about that."

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Towering Terry wins praise


Jose Mourinho praised the character of John Terry as the Chelsea captain kept himself in the spotlight by leading his side to a 1-0 victory against Middlesbrough at Stamford Bridge.

Terry's high-stakes gambling habit was highlighted earlier this week but Mourinho offered his unwavering backing to the England centre-back.

He was handsomely repaid as Terry's scored with a 61st-minute header that was deflected into his own net by Middlesbrough midfielder Fabio Rochemback.

Mourinho joked the reason Terry had run over to celebrate with him after the goal was "because I'd bet he would score!"

With his tongue firmly in cheek, he also revealed Terry had another pressing match to organise on Sunday - a PlayStation competition between the Chelsea squad at his Surrey home.

He joked: "It is a big day for the players at Chelsea. I have decided not to take my kids though as they would beat the players and I don't want to take confidence away from them."

However, on a more serious note, the Chelsea boss added: "For me, it's normal that he goes to the bookmakers. A lot of people do. He's a great captain and a great player.

"He scored for the first time for us in the Premiership this season but it's a goal that has given us three points.

"I'd prefer that he gave us one goal that won three points than five goals in matches when we didn't need them. He's a strong character and he knows that he has my support."

Mourinho accepted his side should have translated their openings into more goals, with Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba and Arjen Robben, who made a dazzling return from injury, all wasting chances.

"I think we should have scored more goals as we produced enough football for that but Middlesbrough didn't deserve a bigger defeat. They gave us a difficult game," he said.

However, for all their chances, the Blues had a let-off when Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink struck the post from close range after just 13 minutes against his former club.

"The way that Jimmy missed the chance it looked like a good day for us," added Mourinho.

"After that, we had great chances to score and couldn't. After the goal we had great chances to score a second goal but we didn't score.

"We were a bit under pressure and I was a bit worried but I know my team can fight when we have a small advantage. We can be organised and be defensively very strong, so we always felt comfortable."

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Blues land Terriers clash


Premiership champions Chelsea have been paired with League One high-flyers Huddersfield in the third round of the FA Cup.

The two sides last met in the competion back in the 1982/83 season where the Blues needed a replay before sealing their progress to the fourth round with a 2-0 win.

The tie will take place on the weekend of 7/8 January.

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Top guns can push Blues


Maybe, just maybe, the Premiership will not be a one-horse race after all.

The top flight is starting to take on a more recognisable appearance with the traditional powerhouses moving to the fore.

After a couple of months of Wigan, Charlton and Bolton purporting to be pretenders to Chelsea's throne they have been usurped by Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham and Arsenal.

Jose Mourinho's side still have a healthy 10-point advantage over their rivals but more quality in the chasing pack can only increase the pressure on the defending champions.

Manchester United moved into second place on the back of a four-match winning run while the form team are undoubtedly Liverpool, who recorded their sixth successive win - and clean sheet - to go third.

Both clubs have a match in hand on Chelsea and have to travel to Stamford Bridge in 2006.

Tottenham are looking more resilient than in previous years and, although they are probably not genuine title contenders, they have the capacity to throw the occasional spanner in the works of their rivals.

Arsenal have disappointed so far as they continue to try to adjust from the sale of midfield linchpin Patrick Vieira in the summer but the continued brilliance of Thierry Henry should ensure they challenge after Christmas.

Three of the big four have already booked their participation in the Champions League after Christmas but United have a crucial match against Benfica which they cannot afford to lose.

Although domestic honours remain high up on United's list of priorities the effect of them exiting the Champions League at the group stage will not bear thinking about at Old Trafford.

Not only would it seriously damage their reputation among Europe's elite but it would leave a gaping multi-million pound hole in the finances of a club where, more than ever since the Glazer family's takeover, great attention is paid to the balance sheet.

Failure could affect the resources available to Sir Alex Ferguson in the January transfer window and next summer. That may then impact on their strength for a fight on the home front.

Defeat is unthinkable - something Ferguson will undoubtedly drum into his players before they take the field at the Stadium of Light in Lisbon.

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Real spotlight turns to trio


Real Madrid's decision to sack manager Wanderley Luxemburgo after less than a year in the job will inevitably prompt speculation they will raid the Premiership for their next boss.

Arsenal's Arsene Wenger and Liverpool's Rafael Benitez have previously been linked to the Bernabeu and Chelsea's Jose Mourinho will probably be added to the hit list drawn up by president Florentino Perez.

However, Real are likely to discover it is much more difficult to secure the services of the manager they want than it is to recruit the star players they are so fond of.

Last week Wenger was forced to stress he has a commitment at Highbury to honour after Perez named him among the managers he rated.

"That's very nice of him (Perez) but until 2008, I have glue on my seat here. My desire is to stay here," said the Frenchman on Wednesday.

Perez, who only last week insisted Luxemburgo's job was safe for the near future, also admitted his admiration for Mourinho and Juventus coach Fabio Capello.

"They (Capello and Mourinho) are good coaches who have had the tact to speak in favour of Madrid and have shown their quality," said Perez.

"They could be two of the best coaches in the world."

Mourinho, too, totally ruled himself out of a move to the Bernabeu after speculation last week.

"I wouldn't go if they called me," he insisted. "I have four more years at Chelsea and I hope to win enough trophies in that time to see out my contract and maybe longer."

Benitez was linked with Real again in September but he too dismissed the speculation.

"I am very happy here. I am focused on the games we have coming up and I want to win things with my club," he said at the time.

"I don't want to waste my time talking about other possibilities."

Since then Liverpool's form has improved dramatically - winning their last six league matches with clean sheets - to move into third place in the Premiership and qualifying for the knock-out stage in the defence of their Champions League crown.

Capello is in a similar situation at Juventus with his team eight points clear at the top of Serie A.

Another possibility is England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson. Although he would not leave his post before next summer's World Cup, Real may be tempted to keep the job open for six months in the hope failure in Germany would prompt the Swede to quit his lucrative contract with the Football Association.

He has signed an agreement to take him up to the European Championships in 2008 and last month stated: "I have never thought about what to do when my England contract is finished.

"I've never thought about finishing the job after the World Cup. Honestly, I have not."

However, Eriksson is not averse to checking out what else is available to him. He was, after all, famously caught speaking to Chelsea about a job, which prompted the FA to offer him his new multi-million contract.

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Hamann: Blues rout helped us


Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann believes defeat to Chelsea earlier in the season made the Champions League holders "tougher".

Hamann was in the side beaten by Chelsea 4-1 at Anfield in the Premiership, with Liverpool's title aspirations dented.

Despite a slow start to the season, Liverpool are now unbeaten in eight games without conceding a goal, with Tuesday's clash with Chelsea wrapping up their Group G campaign in the Champions League.

Although Hamann accepts defeat to Fulham as a pivotal moment, he believes the loss to Chelsea earlier in the season has also helped them bounce back.

Hamann said: "The 4-1 defeat we suffered was not that one-sided. We conceded a penalty, they hit us twice on the break. It wasn't as one-sided as people suggested and they know we are good enough to get a result against them.

"We were not scoring enough early on but the turning point was our last defeat at Fulham. The 4-1 defeat to Chelsea certainly helped us to stick together as a squad, it made us tougher.

"There won't be many surprised because we know each other so well, but we also know what a good team we are facing."

Liverpool beat Chelsea in the semi-finals on their way to lifting the trophy last season, with Luis Garcia's controversial winner separating the teams.

Chelsea were favourites to progress to the final and Hamann accepts they were extremely difficult opponents.

"Yes you were probably the best team in Europe last season," he said of Chelsea. "They were probably the best team in Europe last season, but we were the best team in the Champions League."

Both teams are through to the knockout stages of the competition and Hamann insists finishing second would not be the "end of the world".

He said: "The mood among the players is good, we have had a good run in the league and not conceded a goal. We are getting results because we are playing much better than at the beginning of the season.

"We will be trying to get a result that will mean we are top of the group, and Chelsea know we can do that.

"We have been drawn in a group that included the English champions, so they don't come much tougher than that. So to have qualified already says a lot about us.

"The main thing has been achieved, but we will try to claim top spot although if we don't manage that it's not the end of the world.

"But it doesn't make much difference whether we finish first or second, because you know with only 16 teams left everybody is top class."

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Robben commited to Blues


Arjen Robben insisted there is no rift between himself and Jose Mourinho over his injury problems as he pledged his future to Chelsea.

Robben returned after a month on the sidelines with a mysterious hamstring-related injury to bewitch Middlesbrough in Chelsea's 1-0 weekend win.

He will be hoping to keep his place in Tuesday's Champions League final group tie at home to Liverpool, although Mourinho must give Joe Cole a fitness test after missing the Boro game.

However, Robben discounted reports that his slow comeback from his persistent injury problems have led to differences with Mourinho that may have put his Stamford Bridge future in doubt.

"I have got a very good relationship with the manager, that is the only thing I can say. I hear things sometimes but they are just nonsense," he declared.

"I am very happy at Chelsea and I will stay here for a long time. There is never any pressure over the injuries, I have just had the time over the past couple of weeks to come back."

Mourinho has challenged Robben to reproduce his best form in the second half of the season, having been troubled by his injury problem, which affects his hamstring and back.

"He needs to play and score goals, to get back to great performances and show what he can do. We are in early December and he has given us very little this season," declared the Chelsea boss.

"A player like him has to give us a lot. We have been waiting for him, now he is back and we know what he can give to our team. He will give us points and victories, there is no doubt about that."

Robben is determined to do exactly that, admitting his relief at coming through his return to action without any fresh problems and having made such a positive impact against Boro.

"I have been training for more than a week with the squad but this was the first game I was ready for. After the first five minutes, I had to wake up a little bit but after that I felt quite good," he said.

"I also know that I can do much better though. For me, the most important thing is that I got through this game. But there is much more in me."

As for his injury problems, he added: "It is difficult to say exactly where the problem is coming from. We had to work on a lot of things - strength in the left hamstring, but also work on the back.

"It was the third time this season, so that was enough for me, the medical staff and the manager. We said we had to sort everything out before I started playing again.

"Otherwise, I could keep falling back again. But I have to thank the medical staff as they did a great job and have brought me back. Now I can build on this."

Chelsea were indebted to John Terry's header for their victory against Boro, although it was credited as an own goal to Fabio Rochemback as it deflected in off his leg.

Hernan Crespo missed the game with a rib injury, while Claude Makelele is still sidelined, but Didier Drogba returned after a knee injury - along with Robben.

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Drogba: Reds deserved joy


Striker Didier Drogba has acknowledged Liverpool deserved to beat Chelsea and reach May's Champions League final.

Chelsea were beaten by a disputed goal from Luis Garcia in the second leg of their semi-final at Anfield.

The Premiership champions have always insisted Garcia's hooked shot did not cross the goalline before it was hacked clear by William Gallas.

But the goal was awarded and took Liverpool into the final where they dramatically beat AC Milan on penalties after coming back from a three-goal deficit.

"Let's not kid ourselves," said Drogba. "Why delude ourselves?

"Last season, Liverpool deserved their qualification. At Anfield we never found the flaw in their system, we couldn't break down their defensive lines.

"This season, logically speaking, the group favourites should be Liverpool, but realistically speaking, with the squad we've assembled over the last two seasons, we have to try to go further than the semi-finals again."

As fate would have it, the teams were drawn together again in the group stages of this season's Champions League.

The match at Anfield again saw Chelsea unable to find a way through Liverpool's mean defence, as it finished goalless, but Ivory Coast hitman Drogba was voted man of the match the following weekend in their 4-1 Premiership demolition of the same opposition.

"It was only a group stage game, the start of the competition," says Drogba in the latest Champions League magazine.

"So it was very different from last year's semi-final."

The return of Hernan Crespo from his loan spell with AC Milan has added competition for places in Chelsea's attack, and Drogba relishes the challenge.

"I am not afraid," he said. "On the contrary I see it as a way of strengthening the team. there is one thing of paramount importance - whoever is playing should make the difference on the pitch.

"The others, those on the bench, should be as supportive as possible. Both Hernan and I understand we have to give our best for the good of the club."

He believes Chelsea can clinch their second successive Premiership title and that hard-earned results, such as Saturday's 1-0 win over Middlesbrough, are just as vital as those achieved in style.

"We know deep down we'll lose games, the most important thing is to perform consistently and carry on bagging the points," said Drogba.

"Even when we weren't playing well at the start of the season, we still picked up the points.

"I just hope in the long run that we can do as well as Arsenal and possibly even better."

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Mourinho missing key men


Jose Mourinho's squad for Tuesday's game with Liverpool consists of the last 18 players available to him because of injuries to key men.

Claude Makelele (knee), Joe Cole (calf), Hernan Crespo (rib) and Glen Johnson (ankle) are all out of the Champions League clash.

So the Blues will rely on Didier Drogba or Eidur Gudjohnsen in attack while Dutch winger Arjen Robben is set to start following his return from injury against Middlesbrough on Saturday.

Mourinho, though, is not overly concerned by the reduction in numbers.

"I don't have players to rest," he said. "I have a lot of injured players and only have 18. Everybody is selected. I have no Makelele, Johnson, Crespo or Joe Cole. I have 18 players so I cannot make big changes."

That is probably just as well for a coach who continues to push the line that he is not at all bothered where his side finish in Group G.

But he quickly nullified suggestions that his side will lack the necessary desire or passion to win the game.

"For me I look at the game like any other," he said. "We want to win always. The consequences of the result I don't see. I think people should get excited by the game. We want to play the game and win as always but the consequences of the result are not important in our opinion.

"I don't see a difference by finishing first or second in the group but you always want to win a game and we will play like we always do."

Chelsea (from): Cech, Cudicini, Gallas, Ferreira, Terry, Carvalho, del

Horno, Bridge, Essien, Wright-Phillips, Huth, Lampard, C Cole, Geremi,

Gudjohnsen, Drogba, Robben, Duff.

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Real job? No way says Jose


Jose Mourinho insists he can achieve all his footballing ambitions at Chelsea and has laughed off reports linking him with Real Madrid.

And the Chelsea manager insists a Premiership victory over Wigan on Saturday would mean more to him than a triumph over Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

Mourinho has been preparing his squad for their final Group G game against the Reds, and has dismissed the notion he could be tempted by a move to Spain following the sacking of Wanderley Luxemburgo.

"For me, this talk is just speculation," said Mourinho. "I know nothing. Who mentions my name? It is speculation.

"I like Luxemburgo very much, so I am not happy but that is football. I can achieve all my aims with Chelsea and the next one is to win on Tuesday and then the next game against Wigan."

Mourinho stated in November, in an interview with Spanish newspaper Marca, that Madrid did not hold appeal for him.

"I wouldn't go if they called me," he insisted. "I have four more years at Chelsea and I hope to win enough trophies in that time to see out my contract and maybe longer."

Tuesday's clash with Rafael Benitez's Liverpool will be the eighth time the two sides have met since Mourinho took control of Chelsea last year.

Their previous three encounters in the Champions League have produced just one goal - a hotly-disputed winner for Liverpool in last season's semi-final second leg at Anfield.

The other two games ended in goalless draws and while the outcome of the match will decide who tops the group, Mourinho continues to insist that he is unconcerned where his side eventually finish, given that qualification is already assured.

Indeed, Mourinho is adamant he would take greater pleasure in beating Wigan at the weekend than beating the in-form Reds.

"I would prefer to beat Wigan than Liverpool," Mourinho declared. "Because to be first or second has no consequences and because beating Wigan means three more points in the direction of the Premiership.

"In the Premiership the best team wins and if we don't win it we have to accept that somebody was better than us over 38 matches.

"In the Champions League, you always need a little bit of luck so not always the best team win. Liverpool had luck against Chelsea by scoring that goal in the semi-final last year.

"In the group phases, the best team goes through because if you make a mistake in the six matches, you don't die - you have a chance to get points in the other matches.

"The knockout stage is more difficult to control your destiny. I cannot say Chelsea are the best team in Europe at the moment and I can't say any other team is either.

"There is a group of six, seven, eight strong teams with the conditions to win the competition. But I would not swap my squad."

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Cech plays down Reds rift


Goalkeeper Petr Cech does not believe there is any bad feeling between Chelsea and Liverpool as the two sides prepare to face each other for the eighth time since Jose Mourinho took control of the club last year.

Chelsea have yet to beat Liverpool in the Champions League, with the three previous meetings ending in two goalless draws and a controversial 1-0 defeat at Anfield in last May's semi-final.

But earlier this season Mourinho's men thumped Liverpool 4-1 at Anfield in the Premiership just days after their goalless Champions League encounter, and the Reds will be smarting for revenge.

However, Cech says as far as he is concerned there is no animosity between the two sides and they will approach the game in the usual manner even though the winners will top Group G.

A draw would be good enough for Rafael Benitez's side but Cech insists the Blues will do all they can to finish in pole position.

"We've played a lot of games against each other so it is difficult to surprise somebody," said Cech. "We just want to play well at home and keep on winning in our stadium.

"We are approaching the game as one we want to win at home. We want to play well but I don't think there is any bad feeling between the two sides at all."

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Drogba gets Mourinho approval


Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has confirmed he will play for the Ivory Coast in the African Nations Cup - with Jose Mourinho's full blessing.

It had been thought the Chelsea boss was not keen on the 27-year-old striker joining up with his country in January with the Premiership champions in search of more silverware at home and abroad.

But Drogba will travel to Egypt for the tournament with the full approval of his manager.

"It's time to put an end to all of the rumours and criticisms against my coach and club, Chelsea," Drogba said on his personal website.

"I'll be playing in the African Cup with my coach's approval!"

The striker also revealed he will be leading the attack against Liverpool in their final Champions League group game on Tuesday without being fully fit.

Drogba insists he is still struggling to fully recover from the knee injury he sustained on international duty.

"Since the match against Romania, I've been having knee pains which didn't prevent me from playing against Italy but which got worse after that," explained Drogba.

"That's why I didn't play in the Champions League match against Anderlecht.

"Considering the score, my coach was wise enough to rest me so my injury didn't get worse and to give young Carlton Cole a chance to play.

"Since then, I've been receiving treatment but Hernan Crespo's recent injury has brought me back into the team with only one training session in me.

"Fortunately, the match went well and I didn't have any pain. It's a good sign for the up-coming home game against Liverpool even though I won't be 100%."

The striker is hoping to go out with a flourish before leaving the Barclays Premiership champions to link-up with his national squad.

He added: "The month of December will be key for Chelsea because last year, it was the month when we won the matches which gave us the title.

"I hope I'll be back on form over the Christmas period and score and win some matches again before going to the African Cup."

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Reds on top after stalemate


Click here for match details


Familiarity between Chelsea and Liverpool may not exactly breed contempt, but tensions between the two teams were heightened as Michael Essien escaped punishment for a dangerous tackle amid a Champions League stalemate.

The second goalless draw between Chelsea and Liverpool in the group stages may have confirmed the Anfield club as seeds for the knockout stages, but this was a dull game which will - sadly - be remembered for just one moment.

And that, amid precious few moments of goalmouth action, was Essien's ugly studs-first lunge on Dietmar Hamann as his boot clattered into the German's right knee.

It was worthy of at least a caution, if not even a red card, and Rafael Benitez was certainly livid on the touchline, but referee Herbert Fandel instead let it pass and it is unlikely that Uefa will intervene either.

Then again, Essien is used to getting away with such dangerous tackles, with Fifa having prevented the Football Association from upgrading his booking for a rash lunge on Tal Ben Haim against Bolton.

Tensions were already acute after the Reds' controversial goal in last season's semi-final, as well as Jose Mourinho's finger to his lips in front of the Liverpool fans at the Carling Cup final.

Otherwise, in the battle of the champions of England and the champions of Europe, Chelsea may retain the clear domestic advantage, but Liverpool are still the team to beat in the Champions League.

Despite winning just one of the eight encounters between Rafael Benitez and Jose Mourinho - and suffering a 4-1 defeat at Anfield earlier this season - Liverpool won the one that really mattered.

That was the semi-final second leg of this competition last season, while this draw at Stamford Bridge ensured they finished top of Group G and will be seeded for the knockout stages.

Indeed, in four Champions League meetings in two seasons, Chelsea have yet to strike a single goal against Liverpool, who have themselves scored just once - and even that may not have crossed the line.

Then again, given that this was Liverpool's ninth consecutive clean sheet - one short of equalling a club record - and Chelsea's fifth, however, maybe this result was all too predictable between two teams who know each other so well.

Despite both managers having tried to play down the importance of the tie, given that both teams had both already qualified, they still fielded full-strength sides.

And it seemed as though both sets of players were taking it seriously enough amid a full-blooded opening to the game.

However, Jose Reina pulled off a fine reaction save from Frank Lampard, who had seized on confusion within the Liverpool defence, while Steven Gerrard hit back with a shot that rolled just wide of the far post.

Luis Garcia tangled with John Terry but failed to win a penalty and while the rest of the game then became rather tame PG fare, tensions were reignited by the X-rated horror tackle by Essien midway through the first half.

Fortunately, Hamann was able to continue after treatment and the match then became decidedly niggly, notably between Mohamed Sissoko and Eidur Gudjohnsen, who in turn fouled Steve Finnan.

In contrast, chances were few and far between and the quality of football was rather depressingly low. Excitement was, to put it mildly, at a premium.

John Arne Riise burst clean through onto Gerrard's through-ball, but was denied by an excellent reaction save from Petr Cech, while the Blues could not get Damien Duff and Arjen Robben involved in the game at all.

Lampard, meanwhile, was full of industry but Sissoko and Hamann were restricting his forward advances and his long-range volley was held comfortably enough by Reina.

Mourinho replaced Paulo Ferreira with Asier del Horno at half-time, meaning William Gallas switched flanks, and Chelsea finally began to make some inroads.

However, Robben lashed a shot into the side-netting, while Lampard blazed a shot over the bar and that was about it for moments of real danger.

Both managers made attacking changes, with Harry Kewell and Fernando Morientes replacing Riise and Crouch for Liverpool, while Shaun Wright-Phillips and Carlton Cole came on for Robben and Duff.

But the onus was on Chelsea to make the breakthrough and they were being frustrated by Liverpool's determined defence, as well as the offside flag.

Sissoko finally earned the first booking of the game on 74 minutes for a late tackle on Wright-Phillips and he was quickly joined by Lampard for dissent as he disputed one of many offside decisions.

Gallas left Kewell with a nasty gash on his shin as tensions simmered, but the game otherwise petered out into another goalless draw.

Then again, that result again suited Liverpool rather better as they retained the slight edge over Chelsea - at least in Europe.

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Gudjohnsen: Fear factor remains


Eidur Gudjohnsen declared that all Champions League group winners would be fearing Chelsea in the knockout stages after Jose Mourinho's side finished behind Liverpool.

Chelsea's third goalless draw against the Reds in four Champions League meetings ensured Rafael Benitez's side emerged as the winners of Group G.

That guarantees them a seeded position in next week's draw for the last 16, while Chelsea will play at home first against one of the group winners from outside the Premiership as they cannot face another English side.

That could pit them against AC Milan, Lyon, Inter Milan or Barcelona, as well as either Juventus or Bayern Munich.

Gudjohnsen nevertheless insisted: "We'll just do it the hard way and beat one of the big boys now. At this stage, you'll only have big teams left so we're one of them.

"I'm looking forward to seeing who we draw. I was asked which team we'd be dreading in the draw but I'm sure there are a few teams sitting on top of their groups that will be dreading to draw us."

Alternatively, with Chelsea unable to play Arsenal or Liverpool, they could face the winner of Manchester United's group - as long as it is Villarreal or Lille, and not Sir Alex Ferguson's side.

Indeed, Chelsea are probably the most dangerous side among the runners-up, although Real Madrid also finished behind Lyon, while Bayern and Juventus are still contesting the top spot in Group A.

Liverpool could therefore be drawn against Bayern or Juventus, as well as Real, PSV Eindhoven, Rangers, Ajax, Udinese or Werder Bremen, and possibly the second team in United's group.

Mourinho added: "I'm not happy to finish second as we didn't win the game, but it's the same to finish first or second."

Last season, the Chelsea boss had revealed his desire to face Barcelona in the knock-out stages and duly got his wish in what turned out to be a footballing classic but a hotbed of controversy.

Asked if he wanted to face Frank Rijkaard's team again, he insisted: "No problem. It's an open draw. The only thing is that we can't play against Liverpool and Arsenal, as well as Manchester United if they qualify.

"So we have five or six possibilities and we have to be ready for them."

Chelsea's latest goalless draw against Liverpool was marred by an ugly tackle by Michael Essien on Dietmar Hamann, although the Ghana international escaped punishment.

Otherwise, with only a handful of chances created, it was a largely uneventful encounter between two sides that know each other all too well after eight games in just two seasons.

Mourinho concluded: "Liverpool defend very well, press the ball well and don't give you many chances to create or score. When you have two or three chances and you don't score one, it is 0-0.

"For the good of football, I hope that we don't have to play against them too many more times."

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Hamann slams Essien tackle


Dietmar Hamann feared his leg had been broken by Chelsea's Michael Essien in the first half of their Champions League draw at Stamford Bridge.

The Ghanaian international sparked a touchline row between rival managers after his reckless challenge, which went unpunished by German referee Herbert Fandel.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez was reluctant to get involved in a post-game slanging match with Chelsea counterpart Jose Mourinho but Germany international Hamann was scathing about Essien's lunge.

"It was the worst tackle I have ever been on the receiving end of," declared Hamann. "I really feared that I might have broken my leg, thankfully it is only bad bruising."

Chelsea coach Mourinho claims he did not see the controversial tackle even though it occurred right in front of the two dugouts.

But Mourinho demonstrated the increasing bad blood between the two clubs by accusing the Liverpool bench of 'crying' throughout the game.

"I cannot give my version of it because I didn't see it," insisted Mourinho. "I was telling the Liverpool bench that they were crying all the game. They needed to sit down a little bit and relax.

"With me referees are always very strong and quick to put me in my place. But other managers can do what they want.

"For example if Jose Mourinho had down what Stuart Pearce did against Blackburn, it would have been a three-month ban for me."

The Chelsea coach was unconcerned that the goalless draw meant his side finished second to the Reds in Group G, but he was not happy they did not win the game.

"First or second doesn't matter," he re-iterated. "But I am unhappy we didn't win the game. It shows the way teams play. They defended very well and behind the ball. They did not give us many chances to create and score.

"When you only have two or three chances in the game and don't score one of them, then it ends zero-zero."

Mourinho maintains that his side are ready for whatever the last 16 draw has in store for them.

"It's an open draw," said Mourinho. "The only thing we know is that we won't play against Liverpool and the other English teams. We have five or six possibilities and we have to be ready for them."

Benitez did not want to become involved in the row over Essien's tackle but made it clear that he was not impressed with the Chelsea player's conduct.

"I could see the tackle because it happened right in front of the bench," said Benitez. "I could see the leg of Didi Hamann.

"It is clear and and you can see the video. I have my opinions and I would prefer to keep them to myself."

Benitez hinted he would like Uefa to take a look at the tackle but did not think there was a chance of any punishment and refused to respond to Mourinho's 'crying' jibe.

"In my opinion you can't change it," he said. "I don't want to talk about things that are so clear. I think Jose talks a lot."

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Barca keen on Lampard raid


Barcelona are targeting Chelsea's England midfielder Frank Lampard, according to a member of the Spanish champions' ruling body.

Speaking in Peru, Jordi Orriols, of Barca's Social Commission, admitted he would not be surprised to see the Blues' vice-captain at the Nou Camp.

Asked who would be Barca's next major signing by Peruvian website El Bocon, he replied: "Frank Lampard. Now all the stars want to come to Barca and we have the luxury of being able to choose.

"Lampard is one of the best and it would not be strange to see him at the Camp Nou."

Lampard was recently described by Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho as the best player in the world and recently finished second to Barca star Ronaldinho in the voting for the European player of the year.

The 27-year-old - who has a Catalonian girlfriend - has stated in the past that were he ever to leave Stamford Bridge he would want to play for the Catalan giants.

The major stumbling block to a move, though, could be the player's wages, which Barca would struggle to match.

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Reds stars: We can challenge Blues


Liverpool players believe they are on the brink of being able to sustain a serious challenge to Chelsea.

Skipper Steven Gerrard and German midfielder Dietmar Hamann have confidently predicted the gap between the clubs will continue to close and that Liverpool are becoming established as the Londoners' most determined and consistent rivals.

It is also clear now that games between the clubs - there have been eight in 14 months - are increasingly becoming grudge matches on a par with the intensity of the Manchester United-Arsenal battles.

Gerrard said: "We are getting increasingly good results against the top sides and emerging as challengers to Chelsea."

Liverpool may not have the money to match the Premiership champions, but while Arsenal are slipping slightly and United boss Sir Alex Ferguson insists his club cannot compete in the transfer market with the new kings of English football, Liverpool are offering an increasingly belligerent challenge on the pitch if not the market place.

The European champions, by virtue of the 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge, top Champions League Group G ahead of their rivals and go into the draw for the last 16 on Friday week in Nyon, Switzerland, as one of the top eight seeds.

They have become the first team in the history of the competition to start in the first qualifying round and become a top-eight seed.

Gerrard added: "We feel we are significantly improving in all departments. We overcame Chelsea in the Champions League last season and our intention has always been to do the same in the league. There is still a gap to reduce, but I don't think anyone can say we only do it in the big matches now. We are doing it week in, week out and we know that has to continue.

"In seven out of eight games against them there has been little difference, but we are also showing that form against other sides now."

Hamann, who survived a horror tackle from Michael Essien during the match, feels that overall Liverpool are inching closer to the Premiership champions.

Hamann said: "Last season we finished 37 points behind them in the league. This time we are 12 points behind with a game in hand. That shows we are closing the gap."

He added: "In just one game there is not much of a gap between the sides, but over a season it is more difficult to keep in contact.

"Last season the gap was pretty big in the end but that is not the case this time around. We have a game in hand and they are 12 points clear of us,

"We have done okay against them. We only lost 1-0 in both league games last season and they were very close, and we have played them four times now in the Champions League and they haven't scored against us in those matches."

Chelsea fans taunted Liverpool with the result of the league match when the sides met earlier this season at Anfield.

Hamann says: "We accept they won 4-1 at our place this season in the league, and we know we have a lot of work to do. They are ahead of us in the league for a reason, don't doubt that.

"But I feel we are serious challengers now. It is either us or Manchester United. There is only a few points between us. United, like us, didn't have that good a start to the season and they are picking up.

"We will see how things pan out. It will be good for the league if there is one team that can challenge Chelsea over the next few years because at the moment they are in a league of their own.

"Hopefully we will be that team. We are going in the right direction, we have shown that with our improvement from last season to this and we are heading the right way."

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Terry not riled by Reds


John Terry insists Chelsea's supremacy in the Premiership proves they are still a better side than Liverpool - despite Rafael Benitez's team holding the edge over them in the Champions League.

Chelsea finished 37 points ahead of Liverpool last season and hold a 12-point advantage in the current league table, albeit having played one game more.

However, they have failed to score a single goal in four Champions League meetings between the two sides, having been knocked out in the semi-finals last season and now having finished behind the Reds in Group G.

Terry declared: "Last season, they won the Champions League and sometimes it's just not meant to be even if it's really hard to take.

"Even now, the fact we were beaten by Liverpool is still there in the back of my mind and it always will be for the rest of my career."

However, when asked if Chelsea still a better team than Liverpool he said: "The Premier League [table] says it all.

"They haven't got under our skin at all. They've come and sat back a couple of times but we've beaten them comfortably a couple of times, while other games have been tight and difficult. It's just getting that balance."

Chelsea's failure to break down a Liverpool defence which they scored four times against in the Premiership at Anfield earlier this season left them as runners-up in their group.

That guarantees Liverpool a seeded position in next week's draw for the last 16, while Chelsea will play at home first against one of the group winners from outside the Premiership, such as AC Milan, Lyon, Inter Milan or Barcelona.

Having overcome Barcelona in the last 16 almost a year ago, Terry nevertheless insisted: "We're a team to be feared. There are other teams that we respect out there but we've got confidence in ourselves.

"Liverpool are very tough but last season Barcelona were probably the best side and we played them off the park. When they came over here, everyone realised what a good side we are.

"We've made it difficult for ourselves in the group stage but the main thing is that we've qualified. Whether we've finished first or second, it's down to us now."

Team-mate Eidur Gudjohnsen added: "We'll just do it the hard way and beat one of the big boys now. At this stage, you'll only have big teams left so we're one of them.

"I'm looking forward to see who we draw. I was asked which team we'd be dreading in the draw and I'm sure there are a few teams sitting on top of their groups that will be dreading to draw us."

Indeed, Chelsea are probably the most dangerous side among the runners-up, although Real Madrid also finished behind Lyon, with Rangers, PSV Eindhoven and Ajax among the teams that Liverpool could now face.

Terry's comments about Liverpool echoed those of Jose Mourinho, who claimed after last season's 1-0 defeat Anfield - through Luis Garcia's hotly-contested goal - that the "better side had lost".

The Chelsea captain was rather more gracious after the latest encounter, paying tribute to Liverpool's defensive display even if he did not exactly praise their attacking attributes.

"The Liverpool lads defended well and very deep. They obviously came for the point and got the point. With the side we've got, we should be able to break them down but it wasn't to be," he added.

"The key to it is scoring as early as possible and starting a lot sharper than we did. It wasn't sloppy but the tempo of our passing was a bit slow."

Terry insisted Chelsea are ready if other teams attempt to frustrate them in a similar way, even though he acknowledged it could be the best way to nullify their wingers.

"If teams come here and get at us a bit, then it gives our wide men a lot more space. We didn't get much space against Liverpool, it was very tight, and we weren't able to get behind them," he admitted.

"Other teams can do it if they want but we've got the players and the resources to counter that. It didn't work out for us this time but more or less every home game, teams come here and sit back and we still break them down."

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Uefa can act on Essien foul


Fifa president Sepp Blatter has given Uefa the green light to take disciplinary action against Michael Essien for the Chelsea midfielder's shocking foul on Liverpool's Dietmar Hamann.

Essien's knee-high challenge was missed by German referee Herbert Fandel but Blatter confirmed that under the rules of the game Uefa could use video evidence to bring charges against the Chelsea player.

Blatter told a news conference in Leipzig: "In 1994 the Fifa executive committee took a decision that the disciplinary committee can use television evidence in the case of infractions against the laws of the game that have not been identified by the referee.

"As this happened in a Champions League game it is up to Uefa to decide whether to review video evidence."

In October, Essien escaped any further disciplinary action following another dangerous tackle on Bolton defender Tal Ben Haim despite referee Rob Styles, after reviewing TV footage, wanting to upgrade the yellow card he awarded to red.

The Football Association consulted Fifa and were told that the decision could not be reversed.

Blatter appeared to contradict that on Wednesday by saying "if it was a blatant red card and only a yellow card was given the disciplinary body can transfer it", but Fifa communications director Markus Siegler later clarified the rules.

Siegler said: "You cannot upgrade or downgrade one card to another but you can take action if the referee has not seen an incident."

Uefa are waiting for reports from referee Frandel and match delegate Indrek Kannik of Spain before deciding whether to take action.

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Petrescu set for Wisla post


Former Chelsea midfielder Dan Petrescu is expected to be unveiled as the new head coach of Polish 1. Liga leaders Wisla Krakow on Thursday.

Petrescu, who also played for Sheffield Wednesday, Southampton and Bradford during his time in England, will take up the new post on New Year's Day when he will replace caretaker boss Tomasz Kulawik, who took over after Jerzy Engel's sacking.

Petrescu, who earned 95 caps for Romania, quit as boss of Sportul Studentesc Bucharest last month after going five months without being paid.

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Gers set for English test


The remaining English clubs cannot meet each other in the next round of the Champions League, but there is potential for a Battle of Britain.

Arsenal and Liverpool could both be paired with Scottish champions Rangers when the draw for the last 16 takes place at 11am GMT on December 16 at Uefa headquarters in Nyon.

The conditions of the draw state that teams from the same national association cannot be drawn together. Liverpool have no such 'country protection' because of the special circumstances of their entry into the competition, but in any case they cannot face Chelsea (same group) or Arsenal (group winners like Liverpool).

Furthermore, the winners and runners-up of the same group cannot be drawn together and group winners will be kept apart in the draw.

Group runners-up will play the first leg of the two-legged knockout ties at home, giving the group winners the perceived advantage of playing at home in the second leg.

The possible opponents for the British sides are as follows:

ARSENAL

Bayern Munich, Werder Bremen, Benfica, PSV Eindhoven, Real Madrid or Rangers.

CHELSEA

Juventus, Barcelona, Villarreal, AC Milan, Lyon or Inter Milan.

LIVERPOOL

Bayern Munich, Ajax, Werder Bremen, Benfica, PSV Eindhoven, Real Madrid or Rangers.

RANGERS

Juventus, Arsenal, Barcelona, Villarreal, AC Milan, Lyon or Liverpool.

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Capello fears Chelsea clash


Juventus coach Fabio Capello fears being drawn with Chelsea in the knock-out stages of the Champions League.

Capello, who also claimed it was "incredible" that Manchester United have bowed out of Europe, is concerned about being paired with the Premiership leaders or his former club Real Madrid when the draw for the next round is made next Friday.

"It is great to have finished first because we will avoid a clash with powerful teams," said Capello, whose team comfortably beat Rapid Vienna 3-1 last night to finish top of Group A.

But he added: "There are other dangerous teams that have finished second and it would be better not to meet powerful sides like Chelsea or Real in the next round."

The former Real boss was also stunned to see United eliminated from European competition following their 2-1 defeat at Benfica.

Capello, who is a friend and admirer of Sir Alex Ferguson, said: "It is incredible that Manchester United haven't even qualified for the Uefa Cup."

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FA seeks clarification


Football Association chiefs are seeking clarification from Fifa whether their stance on video evidence has changed.

They have taken the step after Sepp Blatter's intervention into the debate over Michael Essien's dangerous tackle on Dietmar Hamann.

Essien was not penalised by referee Herbert Fandel during the Champions League encounter between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge earlier this week.

Hamann said the knee-high tackle was the "worst I've suffered in my career" and questioned how Essien escaped any formal punishment.

Uefa are now evaluating the match reports from the officials before deciding whether they can take any retrospective action against Essien on the basis of video evidence.

However, Fifa president Blatter has stepped into the row with comments that appeared to contradict Fifa's stance on another dangerous tackle by Essien on Bolton's Tal Ben Haim earlier this season.

Blatter insisted: "In 1994, the Fifa executive committee took a decision that the disciplinary committee can use television evidence in the case of infractions against the laws of the game that have not been identified by the referee.

"As this happened in a Champions League game, it is up to Uefa to decide whether to review video evidence."

More confusingly, he added that "if it was a blatant red card and only a yellow card was given, then the disciplinary body can transfer it".

Fifa communications director Markus Siegler later clarified the rules, adding: "You cannot upgrade or downgrade one card to another but you can take action if the referee has not seen an incident."

That has nevertheless led the FA to seek clarification as they were told by Fifa earlier this season they could not investigate Essien's tackle on Ben Haim on 15 October - in contradiction to Blatter's latest comments.

Ghanaian international Essien was booked by Rob Styles, but the FA were banned from upgrading the card to red even though the referee realised he had not seen the full extent of the challenge.

An FA statement on Thursday said: "The FA was unable to take further disciplinary action against Essien after communication from Fifa, which stated that in such cases the referee's decision is final and cannot be changed retrospectively.

"Fifa also clarified that the up-grading or down-grading of cards was not permitted.

"This followed concerns expressed by Fifa following an incident involving Jermaine Jenas playing for Newcastle against Arsenal earlier in the season."

While confusion reigns, it is still up to Uefa to decide whether to take action against Essien for his challenge on Hamann.

A Uefa spokesman confirmed the official match reports had now been received, but it is understood that no formal decision is expected to be announced until Friday at the earliest.

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Drogba plays through the pain


Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has admitted he is defying the pain barrier in order to play for the club.

The Ivory Coast forward has been suffering with a knee injury since returning from international duty and insists he is not fully fit.

But a rib injury to Argentina striker Hernan Crespo has forced Drogba to play on to help out coach Jose Mourinho and to make up for his absence in January when he joins his country for the African Nations Cup in Egypt.

"I have had this injury since 12 November against Romania," Drogba told Sky Sports.

"I played with the injury against Italy, I am not supposed to play right now, however I have to do it because Crespo is injured.

"I am in a lot of pain, right now you could sense it [against Liverpool]. I was not confident, I am in a lot of pain however I need to help my team as I will be absent for the African Cup of Nations."

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Uefa chiefs charge Essien


Chelsea face losing Michael Essien through suspension following Uefa's decision to charge the midfielder for his tackle on Liverpool's Dietmar Hamann on Tuesday.

The Ghana international caught Hamann just below the knee after a late lunge as the two sides fought out a goalless draw at Stamford Bridge in the final round of Champions League group fixtures.

The incident was not seen by referee Herbert Fandel and went unpunished but Uefa have decided to act after studying video evidence.

Their decision comes after Fifa president Sepp Blatter called for action to be taken after seeing replays of the incident.

A Uefa statement said: "Uefa has today instigated disciplinary proceedings against Michael Essien, charging the Chelsea midfielder with gross unsporting conduct following the English club's Uefa Champions League game against Liverpool on Tuesday.

"The charge relates to Essien's tackle on Liverpool's Dietmar Hamann, which occurred out of the sight of both the referee and his assistants during the 0-0 Group G draw at Stamford Bridge."

Essien's fate will now be decided at a hearing on 15 December.

A Chelsea statement read: "We have seen the statement from Uefa but have yet to receive official notification of the charge. There will be no further comment on this issue."

Chelsea had hoped no retrospective punishment would be administered after none was taken following another controversial incident involving Essien earlier this season.

The 23-year-old escaped disciplinary action from the Football Association for a dangerous tackle on Bolton's Tal Ben Haim because he was booked by referee Rob Styles during the game.

Styles later admitted he felt the offence was worthy of dismissal after seeing the incident again but Fifa rules do not allow upgrading of yellow cards to red on video evidence.

The Hamann case however is different because it was missed by the officials at the time and no action had therefore been taken.

"In 1994, the Fifa executive committee took a decision that the disciplinary committee can use television evidence in the case of infractions against the laws of the game that have not been identified by the referee," Blatter said.

Fifa communications director Markus Siegler further clarified the situation by adding: "You cannot upgrade or downgrade one card to another but you can take action if the referee has not seen an incident."

Siegler's position was backed by the FA who said: "The FA were unable to take further disciplinary action against Essien after communication from Fifa, which stated that in such cases the referee's decision is final and cannot be changed retrospectively.

"Fifa also clarified that the upgrading or downgrading of cards was not permitted."

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Whelan calls for salary cap


Wigan chairman Dave Whelan is demanding Fifa step in to curb Roman Abramovich's spending power amid fears the Premiership will be ruined if Chelsea continue their current domination.

Whelan has no problem with the fact Abramovich chose to lavish his millions on the Stamford Bridge club.

However, he is concerned that if the Blues' stranglehold is not loosened over the next few years, the lifeblood will be drained out of the game.

Whelan, who feels Fifa will eventually have to consider imposing a salary cap, said:

"He (Abramovich) is paying £100m a year in wages, and he has virtually three teams of players that would get into any other team in the Premiership.

"He's got the money, the backing, a great manager, a great football club and I'm sure the supporters love him. I would say good luck to him.

"But the dominance Chelsea have right now, if it continues for five, six or seven years, and they win this championship outright all the time, then it is going to affect the game.

"It's brilliant for Chelsea, but it's not going to be good for the game. The competition will become devalued and attendances will go down because people won't want to watch, so clubs will lose more money."

Whelan speaks from experience as his Wigan rugby league side were almost untouchable until the introduction of a £1.8m salary cap.

"It has taken about six years to get the transparency needed, and I think every club now abides by it, with the rules strict," added Whelan.

"It works in rugby league and I'm sure it would work in football throughout Europe.

"At the moment Fifa must look at the balance sheets of football clubs across Europe and they must shudder - I know we shudder when we look at the balance sheets of clubs in this country.

"I don't think there is one club in Europe, other than Manchester United, that makes a profit out of football. If you break even in this game, then you are lucky.

"I think Chelsea lost something like £90million last season. That is staggering.

"The desperation comes with teams wanting to play in the Champions League because that's where the money is, allowing them to pay the high wages.

"But I feel that sooner or later Fifa will have to look at limiting salaries, a cap of around £20-25m.

"I do believe it would work and benefit football generally across the continent."

Although Whelan, on the back of his JJB Sports empire, has bankrolled Wigan's rise from the lower leagues, his fortune is nothing compared to that of billionaire Abramovich.

After entertaining the Russian on the opening day of the season, with Wigan sunk by a stunning strike from Hernan Crespo just 30 seconds from time, Whelan added: "I did get the impression he enjoys his football and is now a real passionate supporter of Chelsea.

"He's put his money where his mouth is and built a team that is one of the best in the world, and with one of the best managers.

"If Chelsea continue to dominate, and I'm sure they will - which I don't think is good for the game - then until there is a salary cap let him keep going because he is breaking no rules."

For now, Whelan is enjoying living his own dream of seeing Wigan rub shoulders with the elite, although manager Paul Jewell's side head to London on the back of three successive league defeats.

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Whelan slams Essien tackle


Wigan chairman Dave Whelan believes Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien should be handed a 10-game ban after witnessing the kind of horror tackle that ended his own career.

Essien's disgraceful lunge on Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann in Tuesday's goalless Champions League draw at Stamford Bridge went unpunished by German referee Herbert Fandel.

But Uefa's disciplinary committee, after reviewing video evidence, have charged Essien with gross unsporting conduct.

Uefa have sweeping powers at their disposal and could hit Essien hard.

Whelan, who suffered a broken leg in the 1960 FA Cup final while playing for Blackburn against Wolves following a challenge from Norman Deeley, has his own feelings on the matter.

"It was diabolical, and I just can't understand how the referee can allow anything like that without taking some sort of action," said Whelan, whose side face Chelsea on Saturday at the Bridge.

"Essien should be out of the game for 10 games. You cannot go in over the ball like that.

"It was exactly the same sort of tackle that broke my leg and finished my career.

"There is no place in the game for that sort of thing. It was the worst tackle I have seen in a long, long time.

"You should get a minimum six to 10-game ban. It was very dangerous. How the guy didn't break his leg I don't know.

"When it happened to me they didn't even give a foul. Nothing. He [Deeley] went straight over the ball, and the next thing I know I'm being stretchered off.

"It was the same with Essien. The ball didn't matter, it was the man

he wanted. He went for the man, and it was a really nasty tackle.

"If one of our players did that it would be the boss' job to deal with it, not mine.

"But I'm sure he would not condone any tackle of that nature."

Whelan, meanwhile, believes manager Paul Jewell has performed wonders this season the like of which even Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho would be proud.

Although the Latics face the reigning Premiership champions on the back of a three-game losing run, Whelan has been amazed by what Jewell has achieved.

Wigan earned rave reviews and plaudits after coming within 30 seconds of holding Chelsea to a goalless draw on the season's opening day, only for a stunning strike from Hernan Crespo to break their hearts.

Since then Jewell has galvanised his players, and although they have slipped from second in the table to seventh after successive defeats to Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool, they have not lost face or respect.

Whelan is adamant that is down to Jewell as he said: "The manager at any football club is crucial, and if that club does well then it is purely on the back of the manager.

"You could put the finest team in the world together, but if you do not have the best manager they don't play as a team, and football is a team game.

"So our manager is crucial, just as Mourinho is to Chelsea. If you put that team together, yet take Jose out of the equation, they wouldn't be the same team.

"I have to admit I didn't expect us to start quite like we did and to go to second in the table was something nobody in the land could have envisaged.

"Maybe the boss thought we could do it, but I didn't."

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Benitez backs Essien charge


Rafael Benitez insists he supports Uefa's use of video evidence which has seen Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien charged with gross unsporting behaviour following his horror tackle on Dietmar Hamann.

The German will not be risked by the Liverpool boss against Middlesbrough at Anfield after complaining of pain in his knee following Essien's lunge during Wednesday's Champions League clash at Stamford Bridge.

Initially Uefa claimed they could not act on incidents seen by referees, but when the official did not include the incident in his report it left European soccer bosses with the opportunity to take action.

This followed the intervention of Fifa chief Sepp Blatter, who after seeing the tackle, suggested the mechanism was in place for further action.

Uefa has now charged Essien and they will hear any evidence from Chelsea on Thursday, the day before the draw for the last 16 takes place in Nyon, Switzerland.

Benitez said: "After the game I said it was so clear that I did not have to say anything. Now I have Didi Hamann out and that says everything.

"I am not just concerned with this case, but all such cases. You can use video. For me it is not right to use video to change decisions of referees because a mistake is a mistake. But for this kind of thing it is easy, you can see the video and decide.

"If you want to protect skilful players then you should be able to use video. He cannot play against Middlesbrough - he will need a few days more to be fit - and that is a problem. Video is there and it should be used."

Benitez replaces Hamann in the squad with fit-again Xabi Alonso and he also has Mohamed Sissoko back from a one-match domestic ban.

Liverpool will be bidding to extend their unbeaten run to 10 games, and to make it a 10th successive clean sheet, which will equal the club record.

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We'll take Latics seriously - Cole


Fit-again Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole insists they will not treat Wigan lightly after the Barclays Premiership newcomers gave the champions an opening day scare at the JJB Stadium.

Chelsea needed an injury-time winner from Hernan Crespo, doubtful for tomorrow's game at Stamford Bridge with a rib injury, to overcome Paul Jewell's side who have since gone on to become the surprise package in the Premiership this season.

Although they have failed to win in their last three Premiership outings, Jewell's side are currently seventh in the table and Cole admits that they may have underestimated their strengths in that opening day game.

"We will be more prepared for them," insists Cole. "Wigan played well that day and we weren't at our best and it took a bit of magic from Hernan to win us the game.

"They didn't so much take us by surprise but we maybe underestimated them a little bit.

"They are more than just a good Premiership side. They have got good quality in their team and good experience at the back.

"They have got a good manager, a good chairman and the fans get right behind them. We know we didn't play well up there and we want to put that right.

"Guarding against complacency is always the focus when you are top of the league and everything is going well. You have always got to fight against it.

"The manager and everyone at Chelsea works really hard at not becoming complacent.

"I think the players we have are the right players to deal with that and I am sure we can go and put in a good performance."

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No sympathy for Wigan


Chelsea winger Arjen Robben has set his sights on inflicting another blow to Wigan's superb early-season form when Paul Jewell's side visit Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Wigan may have lost out to a last-minute winner by Hernan Crespo in their first Premiership game of the season, having come close to a major upset, before also losing to Charlton.

However, they promptly embarked on a superb sequence of results, with 25 points out of a possible 27 in their next nine games to lift them to second place in the table.

That was until they started one of the toughest possible runs, with the only relief between defeats by Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool in the Premiership provided by a Carling Cup victory against Newcastle.

Having fallen to a still respectable seventh place, they face leaders Chelsea again, followed by a trip to Old Trafford four days later to meet Manchester United.

However, Robben cannot afford any room for sympathy with the size of Wigan's task as the Blues look to reinforce their position at the top of the table.

He declared: "Wigan have had a terrific season. We played them in the first game and we were a bit lucky to score in the last minute.

"They're doing really well. They've lost the last two or three games, so we have to bring them another defeat.

"They've had a very tough program recently, so it's going to be difficult for them, but hopefully we can make it very difficult again on Saturday."

Chelsea have recorded five consecutive clean sheets, mirroring the superb defensive record which underpinned last season's title success.

"It's a bit like last season again. The only thing is we have to continue that and carry on scoring. Against Liverpool, one goal would have won the game," reflected Robben after the midweek Champions League goalless draw.

While Hernan Crespo, Glen Johnson and Claude Makelele are still ruled out, Joe Cole should be able to return to the squad after recovering from a minor injury that has sidelined him for the past two games.

Robben is, meanwhile, pleased with his own fitness after make his comeback last weekend from a month on the sidelines with a back-related hamstring problem.

"It's getting better. It was quite tough for me in playing two games in four days after being out for a month but I really enjoyed being out on the pitch again," he said.

"If you're worried going out on the pitch, then it's not good. You're better staying in. The most important thing for me is that I'm enjoying being back and now I just have to stay at this level."

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Mourinho looking for Blues repeat


Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho wants his side to consolidate their grip on the Premiership by repeating the commanding form they showed this time last season over the next two months.

Chelsea have a 10-point cushion over Manchester United at the top of the league as they prepare to entertain Wigan at Stamford Bridge and Mourinho has pinpointed the rest of December and January as crucial as the Blues chase their second successive Premiership title.

Starting with Saturday's visitors, Chelsea have eight Premiership games between now and the end of January and most are against teams currently in the lower half of the table.

The same two months proved to be a vital period for Mourinho's men last season when they claimed seven wins from eight games and conceded just two goals, against Arsenal at Highbury.

"This is a vital part of the season for us," admitted Mourinho. "Last year we showed special mentality over December and January and we must be ready to do that again this season.

"We did that against Middlesbrough last week when they defended well but we kept on our game, making chance after chance until John Terry got the goal."

There are signs Chelsea have rediscovered their defensive qualities of late with clean sheets in their last five games - three of them in the Premiership.

Mourinho is hoping that kind of defence will form the foundations for a two-month period in which they will face Arsenal, Fulham, Manchester City, Birmingham, West Ham, Sunderland and Charlton.

The Chelsea coach is buoyed by his team's record in both the Premiership and the Champions League where they have excelled at both ends of the pitch.

He said: "We are top scorers in the Premiership and have conceded the lowest number of goals. No team has conceded less goals than us in the Champions League. We are well prepared for December."

Prior to their goalless draw with Liverpool in their final Group G clash in the Champions League, Chelsea claimed four straight wins.

"We had four wins in a row and four clean sheets," said Mourinho. "The players have shown they have such a strong mentality. At the moment we are achieving what we want to. We are in a good position in the league and we are into the knockout stage of the Champions League."

Mourinho has been boosted by the return of Arjen Robben and praised Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba for defying the pain to play for his club when not fully fit.

Drogba returned from international duty with a minor knee injury but was forced to lead the attack against Middlesbrough last Saturday and Liverpool in midweek because of a rib injury to Argentina striker Hernan Crespo.

Drogba, who is due to play in the African Nations Cup in Egypt next month, only trained for the first time since collecting the injury against Romania a month ago the day before last weekend's win over Middlesbrough and insists he is still not right.

But Mourinho said: "Didier deserves a special mention. Even though he had not played for 15 days he knew we needed him because of the injury to Hernan Crespo. But he was ready to make himself available because the team needed him.

"Arjen Robben had a good return last Saturday and played well. He will be a big plus for our team."

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Hamann gets Essien apology


Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien has apologised to Liverpool's Dietmar Hamann for the tackle which has landed him with a Uefa charge.

The Ghana international spoke to Hamann and assured him there was no malicious intent behind the tackle which went unpunished by match official Herbert Fandel during the Champions League clash on Tuesday night at Stamford Bridge.

A Chelsea spokesman said: "Michael has spoken to Dietmar by telephone this evening. He apologised to Dietmar, assured him the tackle was accidental and that there was no malicious intent."

Essien, 23, was criticised by the German international for not apologising immediately after the challenge, which Hamann later claimed had been the worst tackle he had ever suffered.

Although referee Fandel and his assistants confirmed they had missed the incident, Uefa charged Essien with 'gross unsporting conduct' after reviewing the challenge on video.

Essien's apology will not jeopardise any defence Chelsea wish submit to Uefa over the matter.

They have until December 14 to respond to the charge which will be heard by Uefa's control and disciplinary body committee the following day.

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Cole to return for Blues


Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho could be boosted by the return of England midfielder Joe Cole for Saturday's Premiership clash with Wigan at Stamford Bridge.

Cole returned to training on Friday after missing the last two Chelsea games because of a calf problem, however, Claude Makelele (knee), Glen Johnson (ankle) and Hernan Crespo (rib) remain injured.

Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba will continue to defy the pain barrier to lead the attack - he is struggling with a minor knee injury collected on international duty.

Chelsea (from): Cech, Cudicini, Gallas, Ferreira, del Horno, Bridge, Terry, Carvalho, Huth, Geremi, Lampard, Essien, Duff, Robben, Gudjohnsen, Drogba, Wright-Phillips, Diarra, J Cole, C Cole.

[winguy]

pplive which channel
thanks

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World Cup worry for Wayne


Wayne Bridge has been told his hopes of playing in next summer's World Cup finals in Germany could be in doubt unless he gets more first-team football.

Bridge has failed to re-establish himself at left-back after fighting back from a double fracture of his ankle with Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho preferring Asier del Horno.

That could have damaging repercussions for the former Southampton defender who Sven-Goran Eriksson sees as a vital part of his plans.

Bridge played the first 45 minutes of England's recent friendly win over Argentina in Geneva but admitted he felt the strain after such a long time out of action.

However, his only appearance in a Chelsea shirt this season was during the Carling Cup exit at the hands of Charlton at Stamford Bridge in October.

"I played Wayne against Argentina but if it had been a qualification game or a World Cup match I could not have picked him," said Eriksson.

"If he is not going to play for Chelsea, how will he be match fit for the World Cup? And he is a player we need.

"I do have concerns and it will be difficult to be sure about all the players in that situation until March or April."

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Mourinho: McCulloch is a cheat


Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho accused Lee McCulloch of "cheating" during the 1-0 victory over Wigan, which became overshadowed by a row over unsporting behaviour.

Defender John Terry's 67th-minute header earned Chelsea three points at Stamford Bridge and increased their lead at the top of the Premiership to a commanding 12 points. But Mourinho hit back at Paul Jewell after the Wigan boss had slammed the Blues players as unsporting for refusing to return the ball.

Wigan striker David Connolly allowed the ball to run out of play in the second half because McCulloch was on the floor clutching his ankle. But Mourinho told full-back William Gallas not to give possession back to Wigan because he felt McCulloch was feigning injury after a clash with Joe Cole.

The managers clashed on the touchline immediately after the second-half flashpoint and then continued their disagreement after the game.

"First of all it is my responsibility because I told Gallas not to give the ball back because we are not stupid," said Mourinho. "We know what fair play is and when a player is injured we give the ball back.

"When a player is cheating, we are not stupid. So because the player was cheating and seconds later stood up and was running again, I told William Gallas not to give them the ball back. It is my responsibility and I will do it again."

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Captain Marvel sinks Wigan


Click here for match details


Skipper John Terry scored the winner for the second successive week as they tightened their vice-like grip on the Premiership by increasing their lead at the top to 12 points.

Coach Jose Mourinho wants his side to reproduce the same kind of form which saw them destroy their opponents during December and January last season and it is difficult to see them faltering after they way they overcame a stubborn Wigan at Stamford Bridge.

Terry, who scored the only goal of the game against Middlesbrough last Saturday, produced another unstoppable header in the 67th minute to earn the reigning champions three more valuable points.

Last season, Chelsea took a decisive grip on the title race by winning seven out of eight fixtures and conceding just two goals in an away draw against Arsenal during December and January.

Mourinho wants his troops do the same this term and although Wigan provided plenty of brave resistance, Chelsea were never in danger of slipping-up.

"I have to say that last year it was fantastic," said Mourinho. "December and January was the time when we made the difference. It is a very, very important time for us."

Mourinho's words were underlined by the way they set about attacking Wigan from the start. The Premiership newcomers had given Chelsea a real scare on the opening day of the season when it took a last-gasp goal from Hernan Crespo to settle matters at the JJB Stadium.

Crespo, who had missed the last two games with a rib injury, was recalled to lead the attack by Mourinho.

But it was midfielder Michael Essien who had the first attempt on goal after just three minutes but his left-foot effort from the edge of the Wigan penalty area was far too high to trouble Michael Pollitt.

Wigan responded six minutes later with a flashing volley from 20 yards by Graham Kavanagh but like Essien, he failed to hit the target and the ball fizzed past Carlo Cudicini's left-hand post.

Only a fine one-handed save from Pollitt prevented Chelsea from taking the lead in the 14th minute when Joe Cole collected a neat flick from Crespo and ran 30 yards before failing to beat the Wigan keeper.

Chelsea should have been awarded a penalty in the 24th minute when Lee McCulloch clearly hauled down Terry inside the area but referee Howard Webb opted to ignore their appeals.

In the 31st minute Cole's dancing feet proved too much for Pascal Chimbonda who brought him down on the left edge of the penalty area.

The resulting free-kick was quickly taken by Asier del Horno and Crespo's free header looked to have put the champions in front only for Leighton Baines to clear magnificently off the line.

In the final minute of the half, they almost engineered a breakthrough when Frank Lampard unleashed a left-foot volley from the edge of the box after Crespo had chested the ball to him. However, despite the accuracy of the England midfielder's effort, Pollitt dived low to his right to thwart the home side yet again.

Mourinho was clearly not satisfied with Chelsea's inability to break down Wigan in the opening half and replaced Damien Duff with Didier Drogba at half-time.

Drogba, who has been suffering with a minor knee injury since returning from international duty with the Ivory Coast last month, immediately took up a position alongside Crespo in attack with Robben and Cole providing the width on the flanks.

It took Drogba less than two minutes to make his presence felt and only a fine save from Pollitt prevented him from opening the scoring after Essien had put him clear with a delightful volleyed pass.

But Wigan continued to frustrate their hosts without creating anything of their own in attack. Chelsea refused to be outdone by the brave resistance of their visitors and it was Terry who turned out to be the hero for the second week in succession.

Lampard's fiercely driven corner in the 67th minute was met by a full-blooded diving header from the Chelsea skipper which was too hard for Pollitt to keep out of the net.

It put Chelsea 12 points ahead of nearest rivals Liverpool at the Premiership summit and increased their sequence to six games without conceding a goal since their only defeat of the season to Manchester United last month.

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Well done Chelsea for another great victory.

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Magpies eye Joaquin swoop


Newcastle have moved a step closer to beating Chelsea to the signing of Real Betis ace Joaquin.

The Spanish international winger has revealed that Toon ace Albert Luque has been asked to spy on him when the pair meet up for internationals - and report back to Graeme Souness.

Chelsea had been favourites to land Joaquin while Liverpool have also been linked with the talented wideman.

But now he has told The News Of The World that he would love to supply the bullets for Michael Owen on Tyneside.

He said: "I've been told Newcastle have asked Luque for reports on me.

"That is good news as far as I'm concerned - I hope he told them nice things.

"It would be beautiful to have him as a team-mate and play alongside somebody like Owen who is one of the best strikers in the world."

Joaquin is sure to be one of the hottest properties around in the January transfer window, and his departure has probably been hastened by Betis' early exit from the Champions League.

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Jewell blasts Blues conduct


Wigan manager Paul Jewell was disappointed with Chelsea's conduct during their 1-0 defeat to the champions at Stamford Bridge.

Latics striker David Connolly allowed the ball to run out of play in the second half because Lee McCulloch was on the floor clutching his ankle.

But Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho told full-back William Gallas not to give possession back to Wigan because he felt McCulloch was feigning injury after a clash with Joe Cole.

The managers clashed on the touchline immediately after the second-half flashpoint and then continued their disagreement after the game.

Jewell felt the ball should have been returned to his side by Gallas and said it demonstrated just how badly Chelsea wanted to win.

"They didn't even give us the ball back when we kicked it out," said Jewell. "When we kick the ball out when one of our players is injured and they keep it, it just shows how much they must fear us. I just thought it was a bit unsporting of Chelsea to do that. I think their the manager told them to keep it. It's disappointing."

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Crespo: Title in our hands


Argentina striker Hernan Crespo believes Chelsea will have one hand on the Premiership trophy if they beat Arsenal at Highbury next Sunday.

Crespo, who recovered from a rib injury to lead the Chelsea attack in their 1-0 win over Wigan on Saturday, reckons the destiny of the title is in their own hands as they seek to retain their crown.

Chelsea went 12 points clear at the top after their victory over Wigan and coach Jose Mourinho pinpointed December and January as the decisive months last season.

Now Crespo maintains Chelsea could take a giant leap towards their second title success in as many years if they can beat their London rivals.

"Our run to the title is in our hands," declared Crespo. "When you are playing against another big team like Arsenal, there are three equal possibilities for the result.

"I think if we make another great result there, maybe we put one hand on the trophy. We will go to Arsenal with the force to take another three points."

Mourinho is adamant that Christmas is a vital period for the club and expects his players to provide the same commitment and team spirit which saw them go unbeaten over the festive period last season.

"December and January was the time when we made the difference," said Mourinho.

"I think our Christmas starts here. Foreign players and coaches coming to England have to adapt to football over Christmas.

"I have to say that last year it was fantastic. It was fantastic on two levels. First there was the Christmas and new year atmosphere and secondly the results.

"We must go on at a level that is worthy of champions. We must spend Christmas with this organisation, commitment, mentality and condition. We can be as excited about our future this Christmas as we were last year.

"But we can only stay that way providing we stay focused and hungry for winning."

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Terry's all-gold - Mourinho


Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho hailed captain John Terry after his second-half winner against dogged Wigan at Stamford Bridge.

Terry, who headed the winner from Frank Lampard's corner against Middlesbrough last Saturday, repeated the feat as Chelsea increased their unbeaten home record to 51 games in all competitions.

The run includes the Carling Cup exit to Charlton, which finished level after extra-time.

Mourinho said: "I'm delighted with John. He scored an important goal for us. We had six players with a great performance and John was one of them.

"England has great central defenders but Rio Ferdinand does not score a lot of goals and neither does Jamie Carragher, but John does."

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Essien rejects 'dirty' tag


Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien insists he is not a dirty player and his horror tackle on Liverpool's Dietmar Hamann was an accident.

The Ghana international apologised to Hamann on Friday after catching him with his studs below the knee in Tuesday's Champions League stalemate at Stamford Bridge.

The 23-year-old faces a Uefa charge of gross unsporting conduct over the incident and coming after a similarly controversial tackle on Bolton's Tal Ben Haim earlier in the season, he has spoken to defend his reputation.

Essien told The People: "I am not a violent player. If you look at my career it will confirm that.

"It was a lunge for the ball, it wasn't a deliberate attempt to get the player.

"I am not someone who goes around trying to break people's legs but football is a man's game that is played with power and force, not ballet.

"I was not trying to injure Hamann and the referee understood that. That is why he didn't punish me as many people are asking that he should have.

"There are always tough challenges on the pitch, but the worst ones are usually the result of bad luck more than anything else.

"I don't think refs will start picking on me because of this. I don't agree with re-refereeing a game after it has happened, it just produces more controversy."

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Robben happy at Chelsea


Dutch winger Arjen Robben has reiterated his desire to stay at Chelsea and slammed suggestions he is unhappy at Stamford Bridge.

Robben continued his return from a hamstring problem against Wigan before being replaced in the second half and is furious with talk of him leaving the club.

"My desire is to be here at Chelsea," he confirmed. "I want to be here, I want stay here, I don't want to leave. I'm at the best club in Europe. I'm happy, I'm enjoying it over here, I'm in a great team. I just want to win prizes.

"Not even 1% in my head doesn't want to be here. Last year I was very pleased with the number of goals I scored and how many assists I had. Now I've got to get that into this season. I've had a false start, I need to get it going again."

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Sam scoffs at Ben Haim talk


Bolton manager Sam Allardyce is determined to block any move from Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho for highly-rated defender Tal Ben Haim.

The 23-year-old Israel captain has been linked with a switch to Stamford Bridge when the transfer window reopens next month.

The defender is able to play at both centre-back and right-back and has been an integral part of the Trotters side since he joined them from Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2004.

The 23-year-old has proved a consistent performer at the Reebok Stadium with his aerial ability and mature performances earning Mourinho's respect.

But Allardyce said: "Tal is a vital member of our first team and is not available for transfer."

He added on the club's official website: "Chelsea have not engaged in any dialogue with us."

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Harris: Blues will win title


Stamford Bridge favourite Ron 'Chopper' Harris believes Chelsea have already got the title in the bag.

The Blues' 1-0 victory over Wigan at Stamford Bridge on Saturday saw them maintain their 100% home record and Harris believes the champions will retain their Premiership title with ease.

Harris, who played for Chelsea in the 1960s and 1970s, said: "I really believe Chelsea will win the league more easily than they did last season."

The league leaders take on Arsenal at Highbury on Sunday but Harris is confident that even if Chelsea lose the game, Arsenal will not pose a significant threat to their title defence this season.

"Even if Arsenal win they'll still be 14 points behind," he said. "Arsenal have got good youngsters but they aren't firing on all cylinders. If (Thierry) Henry doesn't play, they don't look like a great side."

Harris also remains unsure about the title credentials of Liverpool and Manchester United, who are Chelsea's closest challengers and level on 31 points each.

He said: "Liverpool have done well defensively but I'm not convinced by them. Manchester United look like they need to change a few players. I don't think anyone will get close to Chelsea."

Harris, who was a no-nonsense defender for the Blues, readily admits Chelsea have not been at their best in recent weeks but he has been impressed by their ability to grind out results.

"In the last two performances against Middlesbrough and Wigan, they didn't seem to be playing as well as they can but the important thing is that they don't leak goals," he said.

Harris believes the roles played by John Terry and Frank Lampard have been essential to the Chelsea cause.

"Lampard was on fire at the start of the season. He hasn't been playing as well recently but John Terry has popped up with a couple of goals in the last two matches," he explained.

"John Terry will always be liked by the supporters because of the way he plays. John is about the only player who attacks corners and set pieces and it is his bravery that has got him his goals."

Harris is a huge admirer of Michael Essien, the club's summer signing from Lyon, and attributes a lot of Chelsea's early-season success to the combative midfielder.

Essien has been in the spotlight following his challenge on Liverpool's Dietmar Hamann during the teams' 0-0 draw in the Champions League but Harris prefers to dwell on the positive side of the Ghanaian's play.

Harris said: "Essien has been playing well, despite the publicity he's had recently for the bad tackles. He is a very good player. With (Claude) Makelele not in the side you can see that they've bought a lad who will easily be able to take over the role."

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Essien's not dirty - Terry


Chelsea captain John Terry maintains there is no malicious element to midfielder Michael Essien's game.

The Ghana international faces a Uefa charge of gross unsporting conduct following a challenge on Liverpool's Dietmar Hamann during their recent Champions League game at Stamford Bridge.

Essien, 23, who has since apologised to Hamann, was also involved in a similarly controversial tackle on Bolton's Tal Ben Haim earlier in the season.

However Blues skipper Terry insists Essien takes a firm approach to his game only to help drive the team to victory.

The England defender said: "He is a very quiet lad, but obviously people change when they go on the pitch and he is fighting for his Chelsea place.

"If he does not perform and win his tackles, then someone else will take his place."

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Blues must keep delivering - Jose


Jose Mourinho believes that all the hard work of last season will count for nothing if Chelsea do not maintain their Premiership dominance.

The Portuguese coach swept into Stamford Bridge during the summer of 2004 on the back of his European success with Porto and promptly led the Blues to their first domestic crown since 1955, winning the Carling Cup along the way for good measure.

They may have been beaten in the semi-finals of the Champions League by eventual winners Liverpool, but that did not stop the "special one" being voted the BBC Sports Coach of the Year last night.

Chelsea are currently 12 points clear in the Premiership following their 1-0 win over Wigan on Saturday, and although they have been knocked out of the Carling Cup by Charlton, the Blues will head into the final 16 of the Champions League next year as favourites to go one better than last season.

Mourinho, though, accepted with such high goals, comes a need to deliver the goods time and again.

"I don't say it is difficult because I feel pressure, as I don't feel a lot of pressure, to be fair. But you know you have to get results," the 43-year-old reflected after having picked up his accolade at last night's live TV show in London.

"You know it's not because of the success two years ago, five or 10 years ago - you have to be successful every year.

"Because of that, it is difficult.

"So when you are a manager of a club or a national team, you have the job that millions of people think they could have - so it's not very easy in that way."

Mourinho felt the accolade - voted for by the British public - was just as much for the efforts of everyone at Stamford Bridge.

"I feel this award, not as an individual award but as one to Chelsea's success, the success of the team, my players, my club, my board, people who support the club.

"When people recognise what you are doing and you can have trophy of this dimension, of course, it is very nice. I am very flattered."

He added: "What I like is that people recognise that I'm good at my job.

"Of course I cannot expect Manchester United, Arsenal or Liverpool fans to be in love with me, because I'm trying to take from them what they want.

"I try to fight for the respect of other people. The same way I respect them, because I respect other clubs, I hope they can respect my work."

As well as winning over the sporting public, Mourinho firmly believes he also has a mutual "respect" from his fellow coaches.

"I believe so. I respect them," he declared. "Sometimes you can have little problems and when you have them, you want to solve it, like for example what happened between me and Arsene [Wenger].

"After one week, I want to solve it, he wants to solve it, and we did it.

"So I think it is important - you want to win, you have a job to do, but sometimes you have to respect people and deserve to get the respect from them."

The Chelsea playing squad, meanwhile, were enjoying some well-deserved time off at their Christmas party while Mourinho was at Television Centre to collect the latest in a long line of silverware.

"In the last year they have been fantastic and I think they deserve [their party]," the Blues boss said.

"On Monday, I have given them a free day for them to have time to sleep and recover, so I think they were not watching it.

"But when they know I got the award, they know I thought of them, and they know it belongs to them."

Mourinho revealed: "They went for a nice meal and after that for sure some music, some dancing. Why not? Some drinking in a good way.

"They are guys under 30, they have to do sometimes what other people of their age like to do."

The Chelsea manager maintained it was important to give the players some time on their own.

He said: "I don't like to be involved in this. I want them to feel comfortable. I don't want them to feel I'm there to watch, control to criticise, so I prefer not to be there."

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Blues kids stun Norwich


A controversial extra-time penalty was all that separated the sides as Norwich bowed out of the FA Youth Cup with a 2-1 defeat to Chelsea.

With an enthralling tie delicately poised at 1-1 after 90 minutes the match swung the Londoners' way when Rossi Jarvis was adjudged to have handled Ricardo Ferreira's cross inside the box.

Despite City protests the spot-kick stood and Scott Sinclair hammered the ball past goalkeeper Joe Lewis to put Chelsea into the fourth round.

Earlier, the City youngsters got off to the perfect start when Andrew Frisk opened the scoring with a low 12th minute drive from the edge of the area.

But the lead lasted just six minutes as Harry Worley restored parity with spectacular dipping shot from range.

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Jacko: We will test Chelsea


Huddersfield manager Peter Jackson is confident his young squad will give a good account of themselves when they face Premiership leaders Chelsea in the FA Cup.

The Terriers reward for defeating Worcester 1-0 in the second round was a mouth-watering trip to Stamford Bridge on 7 January.

And Jackson believes his side, who lost 3-1 at Blackburn in the Carling Cup earlier in the season, will provide a good game for Jose Mourinho's men.

He said: "It is a great tie because they are the best club side in the world.

"It will be a big test but we gave a good account of ourselves against Blackburn in the Carling Cup already the season and I'm sure we will again against Chelsea."

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Robben vows to come good


Chelsea winger Arjen Robben pledged to answer Jose Mourinho's call to make a big impact in the second half of the season as he insisted he was ready to get kicked in the line of duty.

Robben made a huge impression on English football last year in the first few months after his arrival from PSV Eindhoven, scoring four goals in his first seven games and helping to tear defences apart.

However, even though his sparkling form continued until after Christmas, he was then plagued by injury problems from the start of this year.

His frustrations intensified this season, with a series of hamstring-related problems restricting his impact, but he now believes that his run of bad luck is finally behind him.

Mourinho restored him to the side against Middlesbrough on 3 December before promptly urging him to "give us a lot" as he had "given us very little this season" so far.

Robben has since started against both Liverpool and Wigan, although he must still battle for a place with Damien Duff, Joe Cole and Shaun Wright-Phillips for Sunday's clash at Arsenal.

However, he declared: "I feel confident now but I also know that I can do so much better and the best is to come.

"Last year, I was very pleased with the number of goals I scored and how many assists I had. Now I've got to try and get that into this season. I've had a false start and I need to get it going again.

"I've played quite well in games when I've felt really 100% - Charlton away and Sunderland at home - but you need to be at top fitness and that's a really high level."

Robben is not exactly known as the hardiest Premiership performer, especially with his injury record, but insisted he would not be bullied into submission by hard tackling.

The 21-year-old winger insisted: "I'm not afraid to go and get kicked, not even one or two per cent. The only thing now is I have to be aware of the danger coming.

"I might jump up one time but not if it's a dangerous situation and I might create something. Then I just have to put my foot in."

Robben nevertheless spoke to Holland coach Marco van Basten about his concerns, having been injured in challenges by both Olivier Dacourt and Aaron Mokoena last season.

"I've spoken to Marco van Basten, because he ended his career through injury to the ankle in a challenge," he told Chelsea's matchday magazine.

"He said you have to develop something in your brain, to be aware of danger quicker. I think that's to do with experience.

"The more games I play, the more experience I will get. In the 18-yard box, if I can go for goal, then I go. I always want to win, I'm not thinking about getting injured or kicked."

Robben's most recent injury worry, which is related to his hamstring and back, had nothing to do with fouls, having first occurred in a pre-season friendly against DC United.

The problem resurfaced during Holland's 2-0 win in Prague in October, while another relapse came in Chelsea's defeat at Real Betis on 1 November.

While some reports claimed Robben had stormed off the pitch after being substituted in Spain, the Dutchman revealed he asked to come off as he was in pain.

"It was difficult to find out the reason why it was happening so, after the Betis game, they did everything - ticked every box until I could come back," he said.

After almost five weeks on the sidelines, Robben was able to make his comeback against Middlesbrough and is now looking to make his presence felt as Chelsea target further success.

"Last season, my bad luck was all about the foot and the ankle. I thought that was my worst season so far for injuries and now no more," he concluded.

"Instead, I've started with the hamstring problems. Now I just want to play and enjoy my football, be part of the team in every game and be important for the team."

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Jewell offers to defend Mourinho


Wigan manager Paul Jewell has vowed to defend Jose Mourinho if the Football Association charge the Chelsea boss with misconduct after he accused Lee McCulloch of "cheating" at the weekend.

The FA have written to Mourinho and asked him to clarify his claims, made in a taped post-match interview, following his side's 1-0 win over the Latics at Stamford Bridge.

Mourinho sparked the incident by telling defender William Gallas not to give possession back to Wigan, after they had allowed the ball to run out of play, because he believed McCulloch was feigning injury following a clash with Joe Cole.

Jewell felt Mourinho's actions were "unsporting" and aired his views on the matter when questioned afterwards, so resulting in Mourinho's outburst.

Mourinho claimed: "We know what fair play is and when a player is injured, we give the ball back. When a player is cheating, we are not stupid.

"Because the player was cheating and seconds later stood up and was running again, I told William Gallas not to give them the ball back.

"It is my responsibility and I will do it again. Fair play is not to cheat. It is one thing to be injured and another to pretend to be injured."

Jewell, however, feels Mourinho has taken the word "cheat" out of proportion, and will vouch for the outspoken Portuguese if the FA decide to act.

"Jose is probably disappointed I have spoken to the press about the incident anyway, but I only answered a question I was asked," said Jewell.

"I went into his office after the game to try to speak to him, but we missed each other.

"I would have said to him what I said to the press, and asked him why his team did not give the ball back to us.

"Maybe he thought we were trying to waste a little bit of time, but that wasn't the case.

"Don't get me wrong, he has not got a bad grasp of the English language, but cheat may not have been the proper word to say.

"I think the word has been taken out of proportion. I don't think for one second he would accuse our team of cheating in the sense being talked about.

"The word he might have been looking for is gamesmanship, but that's not the case anyway because Lee is not like that.

"If you look at our record we're not cheats, we're not dirty, and in the game there was still a long time to go.

"Later on in the game when one of their players went down, we kicked it back to them.

"But I'm not taking umbrage with it. It's like the old saying 'sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me'.

"It's just one of those things said in the heat of the moment. I just don't think it's a big issue.

"I know the FA are looking into it, but if he wants me to write a letter or speak to them on his behalf then I will do because there are worse things that go on in the game."

However, given the FA's sensitivity over the use of the word "cheat", another misconduct charge could ensue if Mourinho's explanation is not sufficient.

Last season Mourinho was fined £5,000 by the FA for alleging Manchester United players were guilty of "fault and fault and cheat and cheat" during their Carling Cup semi-final clash.

The FA, meanwhile, are also looking into Sir Alex Ferguson's comments about Rob Styles following the referee's decision not to award his side a penalty during Sunday's 1-1 draw against Everton.

The Manchester United manager observed: "We maybe could have had a penalty, but there's no way Rob Styles was ever going to give us a penalty."

The FA are considering whether the comments placed a question mark over Styles' integrity, although a clarification to the contrary from Ferguson could be sufficient for the matter to be allowed to drop.

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Bassett - Theo staying put


Caretaker-manager Dave Bassett insists highly-rated teenager Theo Walcott will stay at Southampton.

The 16-year-old has been the subject of a proposed £8m bid from Premiership heavyweights Arsenal and Chelsea in the January transfer window.

But Bassett has dismissed the reports as nothing more than speculation and is confident Walcott will remain at the club.

"We are not looking for Theo to go but you get speculation when a young player does well - but I just ignore it," he said. "We see Theo's future at Southampton and we are sure he does too because it is good for him to be here.

"The chairman, Rupert Lowe, will decide if the situation becomes serious but we just get on with it because this sort of thing is part and parcel of football," Bassett told BBC Sport.

Meanwhile, new Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp has expressed an interest in raiding his former club for influential midfielder Nigel Quashie.

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Fergie defends league form


Sir Alex Ferguson believes Chelsea's incredible Premiership form is making Manchester United look worse than they actually are.

Manchester United need a victory over Wigan at Old Trafford on Wednesday night to cut Chelsea's lead to nine points.

Jose Mourinho's side have established themselves as clear table-toppers on the back of a run which has seen them win 14 of their 16 top-flight outings so far.

Chelsea's only defeat came against United on 6 November, since when the Stamford Bridge outfit have not even conceded a goal, let alone dropped a point, leaving United trailing in their wake even though they collected more points than at the comparable stage in four of the last six campaigns.

"We all have a problem because Chelsea's consistent form makes it difficult for us to win the league," said Ferguson.

"If you look at our present points total, it is better than in four of the last six seasons at this time of year.

"In any normal season, most of the teams below Chelsea would think they are doing quite well."

The irritation for Ferguson is that United's largely encouraging domestic form, particularly away from home, has done nothing to curb the ferocity of attacks on the Scot and his side following their Champions League exit in Lisbon last week.

Calls for Ferguson to be replaced have been widespread, although it has been noticed around Old Trafford that Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has been subjected to no such murmurings, even though his team are five points adrift of United.

Although he accepts the Benfica defeat was a massive blow to United's season, the apparent lack of interest in the situation at Highbury is one of the factors which fuels Ferguson's belief his club are the victims of a pre-determined hate campaign in some sections of the media.

"I know exactly where this is coming from," he said.

"Within sections of the media there is a hatred of Manchester United that has always been there.

"I can understand it a little because we are such a high-profile club. You cannot compare us with anyone else in terms of tradition, history, reputation and status.

"It comes with the territory I suppose, but they go over the top. They try to fragment the club; the players from the supporters and the supporters from the players. Our fans are aware of that and they will not fall into that trap.

"I make the point strongly - when we are at our best is when the fans are right behind us. That is the only thing that should matter.

"Sticking together is the key for us."

Ferguson does know the only way he can guarantee unqualified support from the demanding United faithful is by winning football matches on a consistent basis.

It is something which has not happened enough at Old Trafford this season.

The Red Devils have recorded just seven wins in 14 home matches in all competitions, and two of those triumphs came against Debrecen and Barnet.

So, while the Scot has the utmost respect and admiration for Wigan, particularly chairman and long-standing friend Dave Whelan, he recognises the first competitive meeting between the clubs must end in a home win.

"The people at Wigan probably cannot believe it," said Ferguson.

"I am so pleased for Dave Whelan and no matter what happens from now on, it will still be a fairytale season for them.

"But we want to win this match, no question about it."

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Gunners under no illusions


Kolo Toure and Freddie Ljungberg acknowledge Arsenal must overcome champions Chelsea on Sunday to have any hope of remaining in the Premiership title race.

Arsenal are currently 17 points behind Jose Mourinho's side and both players know they cannot afford to lose at Highbury this weekend.

"It will be a big week for us and a big game on Sunday," conceded Toure.

"We need to win and I think we all really want to and we will do our best."

Ljungberg added: "It's a must-win game at the moment.

"It is at home and we want to win at home and it's against Chelsea which we always want to win."

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Theo to sign deal - Saints


Southampton academy manager Huw Jennings is confident starlet Theo Walcott will end speculation over his future by signing his first professional contract with the club.

Walcott's dynamic performances and four goals in the Championship this season have made him a target for a number of Premiership clubs and Jennings is eagerly awaiting the winger's 17th birthday.

He told the club's official website: "Theo Walcott is a first-year scholar who is entitle to sign a professional contract on his 17th birthday in March.

"Theo is really enjoying his time at Southampton Football Club and we are looking forward to working with him for the foreseeable future.

"It is inevitable when a 16-year-old player performs as well as Theo has done in the Championship that interest will be expressed in him," he added.

"Theo, along with a number of young academy players, is an integral part of the club's long term future."

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Desailly: Blues can end Gunners bid


Former Chelsea centre-half Marcel Desailly is convinced that Jose Mourinho's side will wrap up the title should they beat London rivals Arsenal at Highbury on Sunday.

Desailly believes one more defeat for Arsene Wenger's side will effectively rule them out of the title race and leave Chelsea set to win the Barclays Premiership crown for the second successive season.

"If I was a player I would say 'no we're not sure, we have to respect, we'll see', but I'm a supporter now and I tell you if Chelsea win that one, it's finished," said Desailly.

"There is not really a lot of pressure. You cannot say they are enemies but they are two teams who like to play against each other so it's going to be a great game.

"But Chelsea will win for sure because they have a psychological advantage in front of Arsenal. That's why Chelsea will make the difference."

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Klinsmann - Blues best for Huth


German coach Jurgen Klinsmann has urged Robert Huth to stay at Stamford Bridge and fight for a place in Jose Mourinho's side rather than go out on loan in a bid to secure his World Cup place.

Huth has failed to figure in Mourinho's plans this season and there is growing speculation that the giant defender will be allowed to go out on loan until the end of the season when the January transfer window opens.

Bayern Munich and Borussia Monchengladbach are just two of the clubs linked with a move for Huth who is desperate to earn a place in Klinsmann's squad for the finals in Germany next summer.

But the German coach does not believe a loan move would be a good idea for Huth and insists he will learn more from the host of world class defenders at Chelsea.

"We believe he can learn a lot from John Terry, Ricardo Carvalho and William Gallas because they are all experienced defenders," said Klinsmann.

"But he has to fight his way through and challenge those guys to one day take their place.

"We have to hope he will get his games, especially with the FA Cup starting and Chelsea still in the Champions League."

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Crespo eyes future Italy return


Chelsea's Argentinian striker Hernan Crespo has admitted his long-term ambition is to quit Stamford Bridge and return to Italy's Serie A.

Crespo has enjoyed a fine spell with Chelsea since returning from his loan period with AC Milan last season.

The player helped the Italians reach the final of the Champions League last May but despite his double strike they lost an amazing final on penalties to Liverpool.

Crespo has since forged a way past Didier Drogba to become Mourinho's first-choice striker and is set to enjoy a further run in the side when the Ivory Coast hit man leaves to play for his country in the African Nations Cup next month.

But the striker remains full of praise for Serie A after enjoying his time at Milan under coach Carlo Ancelotti and has made no secret of the fact he would like to return to the country.

"I would like to return to Italian football," Crespo said. "I'd like to go back to Serie A because Italian football is made for me.

"I still have two years to run on my current deal. But we will see. Carlo Ancelotti will always be my favourite coach even if I were to join another club."

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Essien expected to get ban


Uefa disciplinary chiefs are expected to impose a one-match or two-match ban on Michael Essien on Thursday for his dangerous lunge at Liverpool's Dietmar Hamann.

The Chelsea midfielder has been charged with gross unsporting conduct and his case will be heard by Uefa's control and disciplinary panel in Nyon.

Essien, 23, has since apologised to Hamann for the tackle, which caught the German midfielder just below the knee during the Champions League game last week, but was missed by the referee Herbert Fandel.

In their written submission to Uefa, Chelsea are expected to say the challenge was accidental and that there was no malicious intent.

Such was the nature of the tackle though, the Ghana midfielder can expect a short suspension that will rule him out of at least one of Chelsea's games in the first knockout phase of the Champions League.

There is no likelihood of Uefa taking similar action to the five-game ban on Rangers' Alex Rae, who was also charged with gross unsporting conduct last year for kicking a CSKA Moscow opponent in the head as he lay on the ground.

Uefa viewed that as violent behaviour rather than a dangerous over-the-top challenge.

Meanwhile, Uefa's executive committee will decide on Thursday whether England will host the 2007 European Under-21 Championships.

There are six countries vying to be hosts: England, Italy, Portugal, Holland, Sweden and Turkey.

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Fergie favours Gunners win


Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted he will become an Arsenal fan for a day this weekend as he hopes for a Chelsea slip-up.

The unusual alliance is because the Gunners face Jose Mourinho's men at Highbury on Sunday and Ferguson is desperate for a home win.

As well as easing the pressure on their under-fire manager, United cut Chelsea's Premiership lead to nine points with their 4-0 win over Wigan at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.

Victory at Aston Villa on Saturday will see the Red Devils make further inroads into the Londoners' advantage, but it is only if Arsenal follow up such a success by recording one of their own that the title race will really be ignited again.

"Everyone is hoping Chelsea drop points - ourselves, Arsenal and Liverpool," said Ferguson. "We are all in the same boat.

"Really, we have to do our own job first. We are now level on games with Chelsea but nine points behind.

"It is a long way but the only thing we can do is try to get some consistent form into our own game and see where it takes us.

"If Chelsea do slip up, and anything is possible, we want to be the team that is next to them. If we are, we have a chance."

Whether United win a ninth Premiership title or not, the manager could do with a few more performances like the one which beat Wigan to convince his critics he can guide United into a bright new era.

The hosts were dominant from the first whistle and only the brilliance of former Red Devils apprentice Mike Pollitt in the Wigan goal kept his old club at bay.

Pollitt was finally beaten by Rio Ferdinand - who netted his first goal in 140 appearances for United - before Wayne Rooney fired a brilliant double either side of the break.

Just to prove it was Ferguson's night, his side were also awarded a penalty, which Ruud van Nistelrooy drove home himself after Pollitt had brought him down.

It confirmed United's biggest victory of the campaign, which Ferguson hopes will herald a change in fortune after a shocking week which started with a crushing European exit in Lisbon and was followed by a draw with Everton, results which brought the negative reaction which triggered the Scot's outburst against the media.

"It has been a bad week for Manchester United," said Ferguson.

"The way to get over situations like these is to grit your teeth, stay together, persevere and stick to your principles.

"In the context of the last seven days, this victory could not have come at a better time."

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Harry sings Lamps' praises


Harry Redknapp wants to see his nephew Frank Lampard made the next England captain because he puts him in the same category as the legendary Bobby Moore.

Lampard has developed into a key member of England's World Cup campaign and one of the most highly respected players in the world.

The 27-year-old was second behind Ronaldinho in the prestigious European Footballer of the Year awards earlier this month and was the Premiership player of the season in 2004-2005.

Redknapp admits he never expected Lampard to become such a global superstar but believes his dedication in reaching the top marks him out as the best man to succeed David Beckham.

"I love John Terry, I think he's a great, great player, but I really think Frank should be the next captain of England because I think he's got something about him," said Redknapp.

"He reminds me an awful lot of Bobby Moore in that he's a terrific role model for the kids and I think he's a class act. He has gone from strength to strength.

"As a kid you couldn't have said he was going to be the great player he's become today. He trains and works at his game, he practices like no-one I've ever seen.

"He's a great lad, he's a fantastic ambassador for the game, a super player and a real credit to his family."

It will be 10 years next month since Redknapp handed Lampard his West Ham debut and in the early days he showed little signs of what was to come.

Even in 2001, when Chelsea paid £11m for him, people scoffed at the price tag. Now it looks a snip.

"He's worked so hard at his game it's just been incredible. You can't get him off the training ground, he was the same when he was there with me as a kid," Redknapp added on the League Managers website.

"When everybody else was at home he was still out on the training ground practising, everyday he would do an hour, two hours when everybody else had finished."

Redknapp has also based his own managerial career on words of advice from England's World Cup-winning captain.

"I remember Bobby Moore saying to me, 'In all the years I played at West Ham, Ron Greenwood never ever said to me 'well done'.

"Ron was a fantastic coach and an unbelievable man on the game but Bobby said 'We all need that in life, we all need someone to say well done in whatever you are doing'.

"So I've tried to do that with players when I can. I am a big believer in confidence."

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Styles gets the big one


Arsenal's hopes of challenging Chelsea for the Premiership could hinge on getting important decisions at Highbury on Sunday when the two teams clash.

Rob Styles will be in charge in a clash which could define Arsenal's season.

Arsene Wenger's side are 17 points off the pace set by opponents Chelsea, who have only lost once in the Premiership this season.

In terms of performances in the league, not much has gone Arsenal's way since last season's defeat to Manchester United, which brought an end to their record unbeaten league run and dented their confidence for the rest of the campaign.

Wenger will be hoping a defeat inflicted on Chelsea could undermine their grip on the title race, making this weekend's clash of vital importance.

Decisions for either team will be crucial to picking up maximum points, with Styles under the spotlight from two manager who have had conflict with officials in the past.

Wenger and Jose Mourinho have both been critical of referees, and Styles is sure to receive more if key decision go against either team.

It was Chelsea who benefited from Styles most controversial decision of the season, sending off Tottenham striker Mido in the first half of Blues' 2-0 win at White Hart Lane.

Mido challenged Asier Del Horno in the air, and although he made contact with the defender, the decision was considered harsh. The score was goalless at the time and Spurs were upset after going on to lose.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was in trouble with the Football Association earlier in the week after suggesting Styles was unlikely to give the Old Trafford outfit penalties.

However, Styles is thought to be one of the Premiership's better referees, and he was rewarded with the FA Cup final last season when Arsenal beat Manchester United on penalties.

Styles made a host of controversial decisions last season, but has avoided the same publicity this term.

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DD: We're our worst enemies


Didier Drogba insists nobody apart from "ourselves at Chelsea" can stop the Premiership title ending up at Stamford Bridge for the second successive season.

Manchester United cut Chelsea's lead at the top of the table to nine points after the 4-0 win over Wigan at Old Trafford but Drogba does not believe any of the chasing pack have the capability to overhaul Jose Mourinho's men.

Ivory Coast striker Drogba, who misses domestic action next month to play for his country in the African Nations Cup, also believes success over Arsenal at Highbury on Sunday will make it virtually impossible for the Gunners to challenge them at the top.

"Our number one opponents are not Liverpool, Arsenal or Manchester United," maintained Drogba. "It is ourselves at Chelsea.

"Besides the talent, our success rests on rigour, organisation and state of mind. If we stay faithful to these values, we will continue to win."

Drogba is still suffering the effects of a minor knee complaint he collected while on international duty last month but he is hoping to be involved in the clash against Arsenal.

The striker is aware of the importance of the game from Arsenal's viewpoint and is determined Chelsea should end their neighbours' lingering hopes of catching up.

"It is important for us," he acknowledges. "But if the Gunners do not win, things are going to become difficult for them."

Former Chelsea defender Marcel Desailly has already tipped Chelsea for the title if they can beat Arsenal on Sunday and skipper John Terry knows from personal experience that when the big Frenchman speaks, everyone should listen.

Terry emerged from the Chelsea youth ranks to learn the game from stars such as Gianfranco Zola and Desailly.

"They were both massive influences," Terry told Chelsea's official website. "To have played alongside two legends in your career, that's pretty special. Who had more of an effect? Its impossible to say.

"Franco might have been more fun, more of a character in the dressing room, but when Marcel spoke everyone listened."

Defeat for Arsenal would effectively end their fast-diminishing prospects of winning the prize and Terry called on their fans to help the visitors all they can.

"As players, we can always do better," concedes Terry. "It's the same with the fans. The game at Anfield in the Champions League last season was a huge one, and made us realise what the fans can do to influence the ref.

"Get on his back from the first decision, really make some noise, that sort of thing. The Chelsea fans are great but, like I said, we can always do more."

Chelsea have managed to get their season back on track after a uneasy period which saw them lose to Real Betis in the Champions League and Manchester United in the Premiership.

But since their 1-0 reverse at Old Trafford, Mourinho's men have bounced back in style with five wins out of six games - a sequence topped by six clean sheets.

All this has been achieved without the help of the man who Mourinho claims was invaluable during last season's title success - French midfielder Claude Makelele.

Makelele has been sidelined since their victory over Newcastle with a knee ligament injury and although Michael Essien, the club's record £24.4m signing, has been an able deputy in his anchorman role, Terry admits they have missed the Frenchman.

"We do miss him, of course," said Terry. "He's there every week and he's a big player. But that's why we have strength in depth. If we have a problem like this, we know there are players that can move in to plug the gap."

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Essien gets two-match ban


Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien has been handed a two-match ban by Uefa for last week's horror tackle on Liverpool's Dietmar Hamann.

The Premiership champions will discover on Friday who they will be paired with in the last 16 of the Champions League.

And following a meeting of Uefa's control and disciplinary panel in Nyon, Essien now knows he will miss both home and away legs of the Blues' next European clash.

The Ghana international has been punished for a studs-first lunge on Hamann, catching the midfielder just below the knee as Liverpool held Chelsea to a goalless draw in their final Group G match at Stamford Bridge.

Hamann later described the challenge as the worst he had suffered in his career, which went unnoticed by German official Herbert Fandel.

That led to Uefa studying video evidence of the incident, while Fifa president Sepp Blatter demanded action be taken after he also viewed the tackle.

Uefa promptly issued a charge of gross unsporting conduct against the 23-year-old, who attempted to diffuse the situation by apologising to Hamann, insisting the challenge "was accidental and that there was no malicious intent."

Essien, who escaped disciplinary action earlier this season following a similar tackle on Bolton's Tal Ben Haim, has since stated he is "not a violent player."

The Football Association were unable to act on that occasion as Essien was cautioned by referee Rob Styles in a game Chelsea won 5-1 in mid-October.

In this instance, Uefa stepped in as no action was taken at the time by the officials, although Essien made a point at the weekend he does "not agree with re-refereeing a game after it has happened."

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British quartet await draw


Chelsea are steeling themselves for the prospect of another Champions League showdown with Barcelona.

Friday morning's last-16 draw at the House of European Football in Nyon may again pair together the current Premiership and Primera Liga champions.

The Catalan giants are in pot one along with the other group winners Arsenal, Liverpool, Juventus, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Villarreal and Lyon.

After finishing runners-up in Group G behind Liverpool, Chelsea are in pot two with Bayern Munich, Werder Bremen, Ajax, Real Madrid, PSV Eindhoven, Benfica and Rangers.

The first leg of Chelsea's clash with Barcelona at the Nou Camp ended in acrimony. Chelsea, manager Jose Mourinho, his assistant Steve Clarke and security official Les Miles were charged by Uefa with bringing the game into disrepute following the 2-1 defeat in Spain last February.

They had claimed Rijkaard entered referee Anders Frisk's changing room during the half-time interval, an accusation vehemently denied by the Dutchman.

Mourinho was handed a two-match touchline ban by Uefa's control and disciplinary body, as well as being denied contact with his players before, during or after the two legs of their quarter-final clash with Bayern Munich.

Along with the ban, Mourinho was fined 20,000 Swiss francs (around £9,000), while the club were fined 75,000 Swiss francs (£33,000), with Clarke and Miles reprimanded.

However, in Friday's dress rehearsal, Chelsea were drawn against Lyon, with reigning European champions Liverpool up against PSV Eindhoven, while Arsenal were handed a 'Battle of Britain' date with Rangers.

The only stipulations that apply on Friday are that no two teams from the same country can be paired together, while teams who qualified from the same group are also kept apart.

In the Uefa Cup, and after finishing third in their group following Wednesday night's 1-1 draw with Sevilla, Bolton could face either Rapid Bucharest, Marseille or Strasbourg, with four other teams still to be determined.

In the knockout phase, all third-placed sides from the groups will play the winners, while those who finished second are paired with one of the eight clubs dropping out of the Champions League.

The line-up is perhaps not as strong as in previous seasons as the octet comprises Club Brugge, FC Thun, Udinese, Lille, Schalke, Rosenborg, Real Betis and Artmedia Bratislava.

Middlesbrough's position in Group D was set to be finalised after their final match against Bulgarians Litex Lovech at the Riverside.

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Reyes praises top Gunners


Arsenal may be 17 points behind Premiership leaders Chelsea - but Jose Antonio Reyes insists they have the better squad.

The Gunners have lost successive league matches at Bolton and Newcastle and Reyes admits a victory is essential when Jose Mourinho's side visit Highbury on Sunday.

"The whole of the Premiership needs an Arsenal victory so that they don't get too far ahead and we will work exceptionally hard for it," Reyes said.

"Some people have said Chelsea's squad is much better than Arsenal's but I think we have enough quality at this club to be regarded as a better group.

"When I look at our players I think we are just as good, if not better than them.

"The only difference right now is that we are still adapting to life without Patrick Vieira, with certain players changing positions and adapting to new roles in the side.

"We've also suffered far worse from injuries than Chelsea have this season."

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Terry backs Becks for 2006


John Terry insists he has no desire to take the England captaincy from David Beckham before next summer's World Cup finals in Germany.

Chelsea skipper Terry has become an inspirational leader at Stamford Bridge since being handed the skipper's armband when coach Jose Mourinho first arrived at the club last year.

Terry was instrumental in leading Chelsea to their first top-flight title for 50 years when they stormed to take the Premiership crown last season.

His leadership qualities have naturally led to suggestions he will be a future England captain and he was handed the armband for the first time during the final six minutes of the international against Poland in October, with Beckham suspended and Michael Owen substituted.

Former Arsenal and England skipper Tony Adams is among those who have already called for Terry to be given the national captain's job on a permanent basis.

But the Chelsea centre-back insists Beckham is the man for the job in Germany even though he admits to enjoying the moment when he slipped the armband on for the first time.

"What a feeling," said Terry. "I got a huge cheer from the fans but Becks is our man for the World Cup, he's a great professional. I'm still just learning the game."

But Terry is even more focused when it comes to the task of retaining the Premiership title they won with such ease last term.

Chelsea go to Arsenal on Sunday for a clash which could define this season's race for the title. Defeat for Arsenal would effectively end their fast-diminishing prospects of winning the prize and Terry called on the visitors' fans to help them all they can.

"As players, we can always do better," concedes Terry. "It's the same with the fans. The game at Anfield in the Champions League last season was a huge one, and made us realise what the fans can do to influence the ref.

"Get on his back from the first decision, really make some noise, that sort of thing. The Chelsea fans are great but, like I said, we can always do more."

Chelsea have managed to get their season back on track after a uneasy period which saw them lose to Real Betis in the Champions League and Manchester United in the Premiership.

But since their 1-0 reverse at Old Trafford, Mourinho's men have bounced back in style with five wins out of six games - a sequence topped by six clean sheets.

All this has been achieved without the help of the man who Mourinho claims was invaluable during last season's title success - French midfielder Claude Makelele.

Makelele has been sidelined since their victory over Newcastle with a knee ligament injury and although Michael Essien, the club's record £24.4m signing - and banned for two Champions League matches on Thursday for his challenge on Liverpool's Dietmar Hamann last week - has been an able deputy in his anchorman role, Terry admits they have missed the Frenchman.

"We do miss him, of course," said Terry. "He's there every week and he's a big player. But that's why we have strength in depth. If we have a problem like this, we know there are players that can move in to plug the gap."

Former Chelsea defender Marcel Desailly has already tipped Chelsea for the title if they can beat Arsenal on Sunday and Terry knows from personal experience that when the big Frenchman speaks, everyone should listen.

Terry emerged from the Chelsea youth ranks to learn the game from stars such as Gianfranco Zola and Desailly.

"They were both massive influences," he told Chelsea's official website. "To have played alongside two legends in your career, that's pretty special. Who had more of an effect? Its impossible to say.

"Franco might have been more fun, more of a character in the dressing room, but when Marcel spoke everyone listened."

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Blatter - Blues not invincible


Chelsea's unlimited use of Roman Abramovich's chequebook has not taken away the unpredictability of football, according to Sepp Blatter.

The Fifa president dismissed fears that the Premiership champions were spoiling the game by hoovering up the game's top players.

Chelsea are nine points clear at the top of the table and are odds on to win back-to-back league titles, as well as being among the favourites for the Champions League despite being paired with Barcelona in the last 16.

But Blatter believes results in Europe this season have already shown the Blues will not have things entirely their own way.

"Even with money, you are not guaranteed supremacy," he said.

"Football is unpredictable. Chelsea are not so strong that in a four-team group in the Champions League, they were not first. Liverpool finished first."

Blatter's point about Chelsea's fallibility is backed up by an autumn dip in form.

They were knocked out of the Carling Cup by Charlton in late October, the first defeat at Stamford Bridge of Jose Mourinho's 18-month reign as boss.

A week later Chelsea suffered a shock loss away to Real Betis in their Champions League group, and then saw their 40-game unbeaten Premiership run shattered in a 1-0 reverse against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

While Blatter was keen to stress that other clubs should not throw in the towel, he praised the management structure at Chelsea, where Frank Arnesen was added to the technical staff in the summer.

The Swiss contrasted it with the revolving-door policy at Real Madrid, where he believes the galactico experiment has run aground.

"With all respect to Mr Abramovich and his involvement in football, I think that Chelsea are such a good team because they have an outstanding manager and a very good technical director," Blatter continued.

"You have another team in Europe where you have more star players than at Chelsea or Liverpool or Manchester United, and that's Real Madrid.

"You can add star player after star player, but if the combination is not right you get what's happened at Real.

"They have had three or four managers because it's difficult to bring the players together. The team combination is more important than to have a lot of stars together.

"That's the human face of our game."

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Wenger looks forward


Arsene Wenger insisted his public feud with Jose Mourinho was in the past as he revealed he would shake the Chelsea manager's hand after their clash at Highbury this weekend.

Wenger consulted lawyers after Mourinho last month called him a "voyeur" who was obsessed with Chelsea, but decided against taking any legal action.

While there is still an undercurrent of tension between the two clubs, especially after the Ashley Cole tapping-up row, Wenger still moved to defuse the situation ahead of Sunday's game.

Asked if he would shake hands with Mourinho, he insisted: "I will always do that.

"I feel the matter is in the past and what is important is that everyone sees a good football game and, for me, it's important that Arsenal beat Chelsea.

"But I always behave the same [after matches] and respect everybody. When you are involved in a competition, you fight for your team and do as well as you can, but you respect everybody."

Whatever the personal clashes between Mourinho and Wenger, the Arsenal boss's main focus is on stopping his team falling further behind not only Chelsea, but also Liverpool and Manchester United.

"This game is of massive importance. For the whole season, not just for the Premiership," he acknowledged, with the Gunners trailing Chelsea by 17 points with just one game in hand.

"We have to focus on how we want to beat Chelsea and not think too much about the consequences of the result. We have to go at them and play the game we want to play.

"For me, the matter is not so much what is going on between me and Mourinho, what is important is that we see an exciting game and that Arsenal play well."

Having lost to Chelsea in the Community Shield and at Stamford Bridge, at least this game is at Highbury, where Arsenal have won their past 13 top-flight league games, one short of equalling Newcastle's Premiership record.

However, their away league form has been awful, with just five points out of a possible 24, and Wenger admits his side are being too easily muscled aside by teams such as Bolton and Newcastle.

Asked about the claim that the Gunners have a soft centre, Wenger admitted: "The noise has gone around England now that, to beat Arsenal, you have to go into their face, bully them and try to get away with it.

"I feel we have to respond with more authority and calmness than we have until now.

"It doesn't upset me, but it's down to the referees to make the rules more respected. It's down to us. As a team, you have to respond to every situation you face.

"Chelsea's strength is physical power and you expect a physical game and commitment at the top level.

"But I have seen other challenges that are not acceptable and we have to respond with calm and authority.

"I feel we are doing it better and better. Newcastle were a little bit fortunate for us to play 10 against 11.

"Having watched the game three times now, I must say it was a bit unfortunate - and that is the minimal sentence."

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Mutu loses Chelsea appeal


Juventus striker Adrian Mutu has lost his appeal regarding his sacking from former club Chelsea and will have to pay compensation.

The decision was reached on Friday by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland.

The Premier League club terminated the contract of the Romanian international in October 2004 after he tested positive for cocaine.

Mutu, who joined Juve in January as a free agent, believed he had not committed a unilateral breach of contract and argued that it was Chelsea who terminated his contract.

"The player's admitted use of cocaine constitutes the 'unilateral breach without just cause' provided by the Fifa regulations and triggers the consequences deriving thereof, no matter whether this breach causes the club to give notice of termination or whether the club continues to hold on to and insist upon performance of the contract despite the player's breach," said a statement from CAS.

The ruling allows Chelsea, who paid £15.8m to Parma in August 2003 to acquire Mutu, to demand compensation from the player.

"This CAS decision solves the dispute related to the possibility for Chelsea FC to proceed further to seek compensation and sporting sanctions from the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber in this case, with another possible appeal before CAS at a later stage."

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Cech: Highbury win won't end title race


Petr Cech believes victory for Chelsea at Arsenal on Sunday would not necessarily mean the Premiership title race is over.

Instead, the Chelsea keeper believes how the champions perform over Christmas and new year will determine if they are on course to retain the title.

Arsenal currently languish 17 points adrift of leaders Chelsea, who boast a nine-point lead over second-placed Manchester United.

But Cech, standing in at today's pre-match press conference for manager Jose Mourinho who did not want to re-open his war of words with Arsenal counterpart Arsene Wenger, said: "It is going to be important for us to get points at Highbury.

"But we do not think the title race is over. We are in a great position to attack Christmas but there are so many games to play over that period.

"I think on Sunday evening we will still be in a good position to attack Christmas however the game against Arsenal finishes."

He added: "It is a London derby and that will be a big motivation for them and they need a victory as well because the gap is quite big between both teams. They need three points.

"But there are still too many games to play to say it will be all over for them if they lose. But the gap is going to be very big and it might be difficult for them if they lose."

Last season Chelsea earned a draw at Highbury in a game famous for Thierry Henry's controversial free-kick which was taken so quickly it left Cech stranded.

But the Czech international admits it was Chelsea's own fault for not concentrating at the vital moment.

"I don't think the goal was unfair," admitted Cech. "It was our mistake because the man who has to stand in front of the ball wasn't there, so it was our mistake."

Mourinho and Wenger have managed to insult, annoy and anger each other on a scale rarely witnessed in England before the arrival of the 'special one' at Stamford Bridge.

But matters reached an unhealthy zenith earlier this season when Mourinho branded his French counterpart "a voyeur" and brazenly boasted about their 120-page dossier on Wenger's apparent obsession with the goings on at Chelsea.

It led to a furious riposte from Wenger who began by labelling Mourinho's comments as "disconnected from reality and out of order", and ended with the threat of court action.

Eventually, after interventions from the League Managers Association, the Football Association and dialogue at the highest level between both clubs, the pair decided to end their public feud.

Cech was asked about the bad blood between the two managers and if, as a result, any bad feeling had infiltrated down to the players.

"I don't have any problems with the players from Arsenal," he said. "I don't know any of them personally and so for me it is a normal game."

Mourinho's absence meant he also avoided giving his opinion on the Champions League draw which has paired Chelsea with Barcelona in the last 16 for the second successive year.

Last season's meeting between the two sides ended with Mourinho being fined and banned for two games by Uefa after he accused Swedish referee Anders Frisk of talking to Barca coach Frank Rijkaard in the Nou Camp tunnel at half-time.

Mourinho's accusations and those of his backroom staff were later dismissed by a Uefa investigation but not before the official involved decided to retire from the game after receiving death threats from irate Chelsea supporters.

The Chelsea coach was ordered to sit in the stands for both legs of their quarter-final clash with Bayern Munich - a decision which sparked further controversy for Uefa when it was alleged that Mourinho had used a mobile telephone to pass on messages to assistant Rui Faria on the bench.

But Cech preferred to remember the fabulous football on offer.

"The game against Barcelona will be very nice for all football supporters because last season the whole world was watching both games against them.

"But the first game is not until February and for now we just keep going in the Premiership and our concentrating on the next game.

"In the last 16 of the Champions League there maybe some teams on paper that look better to play than Barcelona but we played them last season and it will be great for football again.

"We want to win every game and will approach the Arsenal match in the same way we do any other match.

"We would like to win the game and stay top of the league with the same gap in points over Liverpool and Manchester United."

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Makelele may return for Blues


Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho could have Claude Makelele back in his squad for Sunday's big Premiership match against Arsenal at Highbury.

Makelele has recovered from his knee ligament strain and is back in training although the weekend clash may have come just too early for him to be considered in the starting line-up.

Mourinho's only doubt surrounds Republic of Ireland winger Damien Duff, who was forced out of last week's home victory against Wigan at half-time with a slight Achilles problem.

Chelsea (from): Cech, Cudicini, Johnson, Gallas, Ferreira, del Horno, Bridge, Terry, Carvalho, Huth, Makelele, Lampard, Essien, Duff, Robben, Gudjohnsen, Drogba, Wright-Phillips, J Cole, C Cole, Crespo.

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Kenyon looks forward to Barca tie


Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon claimed the controversy between the English champions and Barcelona was behind them after the two teams were paired in the last 16 of the Champions League.

Last season's quarter-final matches between Chelsea and the Spanish giants was marred by bad blood, following incidents at both the Nou Camp and Stamford Bridge.

In a draw pitting some of Europe's biggest clubs together, Chelsea and Barcelona were the first teams out of the pot in Nyon.

It immediately evoked memories of the 5-4 aggregate win for Jose Mourinho's men earlier this year but Kenyon insisted: "We want to put that behind us now. We want to look forward.

"We had two fantastic games against them last year. Memorable.

"Even in rehearsal we got Barcelona so I didn't think lightning would strike twice.

"But at this stage in the competition, you expect to get a big team and we have got one.

"At the moment they are as hot as we are in the UK."

Barca's sporting director Txiki Beguiristain was as diplomatic as possible regarding the prospect of meeting Chelsea, and told Sky: "People will remember what happened last season.

"They are at a good level, they are first in the Premier League and we are first in La Liga and we hope this season that we can beat Chelsea.

"The most important thing is the show. Last year was a great show for world football, and this can be the same.

"But we hope we will have improved a little bit, and we can win."

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Uefa's early warning call


Uefa chiefs are demanding Chelsea and Barcelona ensure any fireworks between the two clubs this season are strictly confined to the pitch.

In a remarkable twist of Champions League fate, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho and Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard again go head to head.

Last season the Premiership and Primera Liga champions met in the last 16, with Chelsea producing a superb 5-4 aggregate victory.

However, the tie was marred by allegations made by Mourinho that led to him serving a two-match touchline suspension for the quarter-final triumph over Bayern Munich.

Mourinho, backed by assistant Steve Clarke and security official Les Miles, claimed Rijkaard entered referee Anders Frisk's changing room during the half-time interval of the first leg game at the Nou Camp.

The accusation proved unfounded, but the aftermath was widespread, with the trio and Chelsea as a club charged by Uefa with bringing the game into disrepute.

Uefa communications and public affairs director William Gaillard is confident there will be no recriminations from the last encounter.

"I would imagine they [the clubs] have already built bridges," said Gaillard.

"I'm sure people will make a lot of these games after what happened last season.

"But then I'm sure both clubs are mature enough to understand they have some of the best resources in European football and the chance to show their skills in these games.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for European football to see some fireworks on the pitch - not off it.

"The only regret is that it would have made a great final, but that is the luck of the draw."

Along with the touchline ban, Mourinho was fined 20,000 Swiss francs (around £9,000), while the club were fined 75,000 Swiss francs (£33,000), with Clarke and Miles reprimanded.

Rijkaard later spelled out his desire to one day gain his revenge, but surely he never believed such an opportunity would arise so quickly.

The two clubs will again meet in the last 16, with Chelsea at home in the first leg on this occasion on 22 February, with the return in Barcelona on 7 March.

Following the draw at the House of European Football in Nyon, it was noticeable Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon and Barcelona president Joan Laporta embraced.

The two men were then later seen in conversation over lunch with Uefa chief executive Lars-Christer Olsson, who will undoubtedly be keen to see the hand of friendship - rather than acrimony - extended ahead of the two games.

Gaillard does not believe it necessary for Uefa to issue any kind of warning to either Mourinho or Rijkaard ahead of the matches.

He added: "We won't be speaking to them beforehand because what happened is history.

"There is no reason for us to fear anything from this game."

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Catalan clash once again


Chelsea face a rematch against Barcelona after being drawn against the Spanish giants in the last 16 of the Champions League.

The sides met at the same stage of last season's competition, with Jose Mourinho's side emerging triumphant over the two legs.

Mourinho was forced to serve a two-match touchline ban after he accused Barca coach Frank Rijkaard of meeting with referee Anders Frisk in the official's dressing room at half-time of the first leg at the Nou Camp.

The first leg will take place on Wednesday 22 February, with the return match on Tuesday 7 March.

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Wenger wants Gunners steel


Arsene Wenger challenged his Arsenal side to stop being bullied out of the title race - starting against Chelsea on Sunday at Highbury.

Wenger acknowledged his team are increasingly being seen as a soft touch away from home, having dropped 19 out of a possible 24 points on their travels in the Premiership.

However, while there is a glamorous Champions League last-16 tie against Real Madrid to come in the new year, the Gunners face their final chance to breath fresh life back into the title race on Sunday.

Indeed, given they trail not only Chelsea by 17 points with just one match in hand, but are also lagging behind Manchester United and Liverpool, the Arsenal boss appreciates the importance of Sunday's clash.

Wenger declared: "This game is of massive importance for the whole season, not just for the Premiership.

"We have to focus on how we want to beat Chelsea and not think too much about the consequences of the result. We have to go at them and play the game we want to play."

Then again, despite having won their past 13 league matches at home it is away from Highbury that Arsenal's real problems have come, with back-to-back Premiership defeats at Bolton and Newcastle.

Asked about the claim the Gunners have a soft centre, Wenger admitted: "The noise has gone around England now that to beat Arsenal you have to go into their face, bully them and try to get away with it.

"I feel we have to respond with more authority and calmness than we have until now.

"It doesn't upset me, but it's down to the referees to make the rules more respected. It's down to us. As a team, you have to respond to every situation you face.

"Chelsea's strength is physical power and you expect a physical game and commitment at the top level.

"But I have seen other challenges that are not acceptable and we have to respond with calm and authority.

"I feel we are doing it better and better. Newcastle were a little bit fortunate for us to play 10 against 11. Having watched the game three times now, I must say it was a bit unfortunate - and that is the minimal sentence."

Gilberto's controversial dismissal at St James' Park has ruled him out of Sunday's match, plunging the inexperienced duo of Mathieu Flamini and Cesc Fabregas into the midfield fray against Chelsea.

Ashley Cole, Gael Clichy and Pascal Cygan are all injured, meaning Lauren is set to continue at left-back, while Jose Antonio Reyes has failed to recover from a thigh injury even if Dennis Bergkamp is back in contention.

Wenger's relationship with Jose Mourinho has also come under fresh scrutiny, having considered taking legal action for having been labelled a sick "voyeur" for supposedly being obsessed with Chelsea.

But when asked if he would shake hands with Mourinho after Sunday's game, he confirmed: "I will always do that.

"I feel the matter is in the past and what is important is that everyone sees a good football game and, for me, that Arsenal beat Chelsea."

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Laporta eyes Blues revenge


Barcelona president Joan Laporta wants revenge for last season's Champions League exit when his club take on Chelsea in the last 16.

The Spanish and English champions were paired at the same stage last season with the Stamford Bridge club going through 5-4 on aggregate after an acrimonious tie over two legs.

Laporta vowed he wanted revenge for the Nou Camp club and its fans after the two clubs were paired when Uefa made the draw in Nyon, Switzerland.

"Like thousands and thousands of Catalans, I want sporting revenge for what was a totally unjust defeat in the Champions League last season," said Laporta.

"We didn't deserve to lose to Chelsea. I want to put them out in this round because that's the stage they unjustly eliminated us last season and that would constitute revenge.

"Beating Chelsea now in the last 16 would be much better than doing so in a later knockout stage or the final.

"The dream is to knock Chelsea out, get to the final and then beat Real Madrid to win the Champions League."

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Ron ready for Blues rematch


Chelsea and Barcelona were determined to present a united front as the Champions League draw paired them together in the last 16 of the competition for the second successive season.

It immediately sparked memories of last season's ill-tempered affair which ended with Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho being fined and banned for two matches by Uefa after accusing Swedish referee Anders Frisk of talking to Barca coach Frank Rijkaard in the Nou Camp tunnel at half-time.

Mourinho's accusations and those of his backroom staff were later dismissed by a Uefa investigation but not before the official involved decided to retire from the game after receiving death threats.

The Londoners lost the first leg 2-1 but won the return 4-2 at Stamford Bridge to see them through to the quarter-finals against Bayern Munich, when the Chelsea coach was ordered to sit in the stands as punishment.

But neither Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon nor Barcelona's general manager Txiki Begiristain were remotely interested in stoking up the controversy surrounding last season's two-legged clash.

Even Brazilian crowd-pleaser Ronaldinho, a player often linked with a move to Stamford Bridge, is happy to let bygones be bygones.

"I don't think what happened off the pitch affected the outcome," declared Ronaldinho.

"It was our own mistakes that let us down. It all happened because of our own fault. We got that stuck in our throats and we don't want to go through that again.

"I don't see it as revenge. What I want is the chance to fight for the Champions League title and to win it - it doesn't matter who against.

"There's no climate for settling scores. My thoughts are only focused on being able to win the Champions League.

"It will be another top contest between two coaches with high tactical awareness. We should expect something good.

"Mourinho has shown he's an excellent manager since his time at Porto. He's doing the same job at Chelsea so he deserves praise for what he has been achieving.

"We have to respect him but we're also looking forward to defeating the great coaches, the great teams and the great players."

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech, preparing for Sunday's high-profile clash with Arsenal in the Premiership, still has mixed emotions about Ronaldinho's performance against them at Stamford Bridge last season.

The Brazilian scored both goals - one of which was a stunning shot from 20 yards which Cech could do nothing to stop.

"I saw his interview when he won the Golden Ball and he said his goal against us was the goal of the season for him," said Cech.

"It was great because there were three defenders in front of the ball and I didn't see anything. I just saw the ball flying into the back of the net.

"It was a great goal from him because nobody expected him to do it. The Golden Ball was well deserved because he is a great player to watch."

Cech and his Chelsea team-mates will have to stop another lightning quick striker on Sunday when they face Arsenal's Thierry Henry.

He scored a controversial free-kick in the same fixture last season when his speed of thought caught out Chelsea's defence and Cech himself.

However, the Chelsea keeper does not believe there is any way the two players can be compared.

"Henry and Ronaldinho are different, but Thierry can score from every position," said Cech.

"It's very difficult to play against him because he's quick and has the ability to score goals.

"But Arsenal is not just about Henry and they have lots of good players. We have to approach the game as Chelsea against Arsenal, not Chelsea against Henry.

"It's always difficult to play against him but we don't worry about our opposition and try to concentrate on our game.

"Last season he scored both goals but if Henry doesn't score it becomes more difficult for them as he's their key player.

"Our strength is that we are a team, we have dangerous and quality players in every position. That's why we're such a strong team."

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'Efficient' Chelsea set for title - AW


Arsene Wenger accepts Chelsea look set to win back-to-back titles, but still described their playing style as only "efficient" ahead of tomorrow's clash at Highbury.

The Arsenal boss rarely watches Jose Mourinho's side in action, preferring the attacking style of the likes of Barcelona, who face Chelsea in the Champions League last 16.

Wenger agreed that Mourinho deserved to win the coach of the year award at the BBC's Sports Personality show, although he noted that "I got that twice, you know!"

He added: "I think he's done extremely well. I've not a lot more to say than that. You can't dispute that they won the championship well and beat us well last season. Now it looks like they will achieve that again."

Having previously been accused by Mourinho of becoming 'obsessed' by Chelsea, he noted: "I don't analyse too much what is happening at Chelsea, I'm more concerned by what is happening at Arsenal.

"In fairness, I don't watch Chelsea a lot. Every team has its own culture and game, and you would have to see them more to judge that. We try to play the football we want and let everyone judge how we play.

"They play a very efficient style, based on great power in the middle of the park and penetration up front. Their game is very efficient.

"Who do I like to watch in Europe? Barcelona are the attractive team to watch. They look full of confidence, although that could change before February.

"Italy is a bit more difficult to judge as I'm not completely sure about the level of resistance to the big clubs. In France, Lyon look a team to dominate the league completely and to be watched in Europe as well."

Wenger stopped short of accusing Chelsea of having actually 'bought' the title, although he reiterated his belief Roman Abramovich's incredible spending power had distorted the natural transfer market.

"I don't think they bought the title. I never said their results were not the consequence of the quality of their game, I just feel they are a team without the same [financial] restrictions as others," he added.

"When you talk about buying the title, Southampton could say that about Arsenal as we have more financial power than they do, but that is down to football income.

"What's new in the game is that Chelsea have resources we didn't expect them to have, although money doesn't [automatically] buy success."

Despite their verbal sparring, Wenger is ready to shake Mourinho's hand after Sunday's clash at Highbury, although it seems clear the rival managers will never be close friends.

"When I'm confronted with it [a mind games battle], I take it. But what is most interesting for me is the quality of football. I love football. The rest? If you have to, then you do it," he explained.

"But it's more about protecting your club than because you really sit at home, thinking 'how can I create a story for the newspapers'. I think more about playing good football.

"It's a big illusion to say that you're big friends with people that you fight against in the same competition. It's not something that is necessary at all. Everyone should respect each other and football should be the winner."

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Robben with point to prove


Arjen Robben is determined to shrug off his injury-prone tag and help Chelsea end Arsenal's remaining title hopes at Highbury on Sunday.

The Dutch winger has been sidelined for much of the season with a succession of niggling injuries but has finally recovered from a recent hamstring problem to return to Jose Mourinho's first team.

Robben is yet to recapture the form which tore defences apart in the Premiership last season but insists he will not be afraid of the physical battle that awaits him at Highbury.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has called for his side to show some 'controlled aggression' against the champions and current leaders.

But Robben is ready to meet the challenge after admitting he gets frustrated with being labelled injury prone. The winger has even taken advice from Holland coach Marco van Basten as he bids to get rid of the unwanted tag.

"I'm not afraid to go and get kicked, not even one or two per cent," he declares. "The only thing now is I have to be aware of the danger coming.

"I might jump up one time but not if it is a dangerous situation and I might create something. Then I just have to put my foot in.

"I've spoken with the Dutch manager van Basten, because he ended his career through injury to the ankle in a challenge.

"He said you have to develop something in your brain, be aware of the danger quicker.

"But I think that's to do with experience. The more games I play the more experience I will have. I always want to win, I'm not thinking about getting injured or kicked."

Even so, Robben is visibly uncomfortable when asked about his constant injury problems over the last two seasons. There have even been suggestions that his problem is more mental than physical at times but Robben rejects such accusations.

"It's frustrating but you can't change it because if you are injured you are injured," he said. "I work hard to come back as quickly as possible from injury and I am mentally very strong. I don't think it's a mental thing at all."

But since returning to the side in the 1-0 win over Middlesbrough earlier this month, Robben has failed to excite the Stamford Bridge faithful in the same way he did last season and he knows that it is time to start his season.

"Last year I was very pleased with the number of goals I scored, how many assists I had," he said. "I've got to try and get that into this season. I've had a false start, I need to get it going again.

"I just want to play and enjoy my football, be part of the team every game and be important for the team. I feel confident now but I know I do better."

There could be no better way to announce his return to form in style than with a stunning performance against Arsenal at Highbury. But the Dutch star knows the pressure is all on the home side who currently languish 17 points adrift of Chelsea at the top.

Robben added: "We are top of the league and everybody is chasing us. We are in a great position and that's why the pressure is not on us but on them."

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Ronaldinho keen on star duo


Barcelona's Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho has backed any bid by the Spanish club to sign Frank Lampard and Thierry Henry.

Ronaldinho is excited by the prospect of the Nou Camp club being interested in players like Chelsea's Lampard and Arsenal's Henry.

Ronaldinho admitted: "Everybody in Barcelona is talking about Thierry and Frank joining us.

"I would not be unhappy at all if those two players sign for us."

Ronaldinho will get a close view of Lampard when Barcelona take on Chelsea in the knockout stage of the Champions League and the Brazilian is an admirer of England midfield star Lampard and France striker Henry.

"Henry is a beautiful player and and has got complete technique. I adore watching him. I respect him very much as a man and as a footballer. He reminds me of myself."

Ronaldinho added in the News of the World: "I think it would be fantastic if the club could get Frank to join us."

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RvP 'goal' onside - Arsenal boss


Arsene Wenger felt Arsenal were "very unfortunate" when Robin van Persie had a goal disallowed after 20 minutes of Sunday's defeat to Chelsea.

Van Persie looked to have put the Gunners ahead in the big Premiership clash at Highbury but his effort was ruled out for offside even though television pictures later showed the Arsenal player ran onto Freddie Ljungberg's pass from an onside position.

In fact it was Thierry Henry who was flagged despite not being 'active.

"I feel when you know the influence of the first goal, it's very unfortunate to get a decision like that," said Wenger after his side were beaten 2-0.

"I feel that goal was just onside. We were playing well when we scored the goal."

Wenger's team are now 20 points behind Chelsea but he is refusing to rule them out of the title race.

"It's not my immediate worry tonight," he told Sky Sports.

"It was a very big disappointment to lose this game. We will try to fight as well as we can - but it will be difficult for us."

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Ref rage risky for Wenger


Arsene Wenger could be in hot water after venting his anger at referee Rob Styles and his assistants following Arsenal's 2-0 defeat to Chelsea.

The Gunners boss was furious with Styles for disallowing Robin van Persie's first-half 'goal' for offside when TV pictures later showed he had received the ball in an onside position.

"We scored a regular goal but the referee made a very bad decision," fumed Wenger. "I associate the referee and linesmen in the same team - the Chelsea team."

The Football Association recently asked Sir Alex Ferguson to explain his post-match comments about Styles following Manchester United's 1-1 draw with Everton, with the United boss claiming Styles would never have given his side a penalty.

Wenger will probably receive a similar invitation, with the FA particularly keen to clamp down on accusations of bias from irate managers.

The Arsenal manager also questioned Styles' decision to only caution Michael Essien for his elbow offence on Lauren, who was left with a missing tooth.

Chelsea counterpart Jose Mourinho felt the home team had targeted Essien but Wenger strongly denied the suggestion, saying: "Essien was a straight red in my opinion.

"It was just in front of the dugout and the referee was not brave enough to make the decision, but it was a straight red.

"He did not play the ball, he played the player. We didn't even talk about Essien before the game so for a deliberate strategy we hid it very well because I don't know about it."

Mourinho's retort to talk of leniency towards Essien was to say that Philippe Senderos should have walked for fouls on Didier Drogba and Arjen Robben - something Wenger seemed to surprisingly agree on.

"Somebody told me that Senderos should have been sent off and if that was the case, I'm not against it," he continued. "We want the referees to make the right decisions.

"But I have played a little football in my life and I tell you that Essien just played the player and not the ball - it should have been a straight red."

Wenger maintained his side were playing well until van Persie had his goal chalked off for a wrongful offside decision and although he ruled out their title hopes, he believes his young side is the beginning of a new era at the club.

"We hit the post and scored a goal and then just before half-time they scored," said Wenger.

"We are too long behind Chelsea now to consider that we will challenge them for the championship but I feel we have to qualify for the Champions League and come back.

"We lack a little bit of physical power in certain areas but it is developing well. I think it is the start of a new era."

Wenger responded in typically humorous fashion when asked about Mourinho's decision not to shake his hand immediately after the final whistle.

"I must say that it will not stop me from sleeping," he joked. "The bad feeling was not on my side."

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Joey: Don't write off Gunners


Joe Cole has generously denied that Chelsea's 2-0 defeat of Arsenal has knocked the Highbury side out of the Premiership title race.

Cole scored in the second half after Arjen Robben had given the defending champions a first-half lead after they secured a deserved victory in north London.

The result means Arsenal are now 20 points adrift of Chelsea but Cole insists it does not mean the Gunners will not be among the challengers.

Cole told Sky Sports: "You can't say that. If it's mathematically possible, I'm sure they will keep chasing us and fighting us.

"The Christmas period is always significant and I think with Manchester United going out of Europe they have extra time to focus on the league. We have to keep on our toes."

Cole was given the man-of-the-match award and is on consistently good form at the moment but he insists the competition in the squad means he cannot rest on his laurels.

He said: "We are always looking to improve.

"There is great competition but we are all good mates and we all want each other to do well."

Robben was honest in his assessment of the game, insisting the best team had won.

He told Sky Sports: "It was a great team performance today and I think we deserved to win.

"I should have scored one or two more but I'm glad we won and that is the most important thing.

"I needed a good game. Today I felt really good fitness wise and I could show them today what I could do."

The Holland international believed it was important for Chelsea to produce such a good performance against the former champions after they had failed to shine over the last few weeks.

He said: "There are lot of tough games to come.

"As a team, we needed a good game but I think we showed everybody what we could do."

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Mourinho: Essien was targeted


Jose Mourinho accused Arsenal of trying to capitalise on Michael Essien's recent disciplinary troubles as Chelsea effectively ended their interest in the Premiership title race for another season.

The Portuguese coach also insisted that Arsenal defender Philippe Senderos should have been red-carded in the first half instead of the Ghana international

Essien was booked by referee Rob Styles for appearing to elbow Arsenal defender Lauren in the mouth but Mourinho was adamant the Gunners were trying to make the most of his recent bad-boy reputation.

The midfielder was handed a two-game Champions League ban by Uefa last week for his dangerous tackle on Liverpool's Dietmar Hamann in their final Group G clash at Stamford Bridge and Mourinho believes Arsenal targeted the player for special treatment as a result.

"The incident I saw was 10 players jumping on him," declared Mourinho. "It was like a strategy to use the image Essien has at the moment.

"He made his mistake and was punished for that and has a suspension for the Champions League. Now I think he deserves to be looked at as a great player and be careful of other teams' reactions in relation to him. That for me is the negative point."

But in typically outspoken fashion, Mourinho insisted Senderos should have been red-carded for professional fouls on Didier Drogba in the first half and Arjen Robben in the second - adding that Styles had a bad day.

"The other negative point for me was that a player who deserved two direct red cards finished the game with one yellow card," said Mourinho.

"In the first half Senderos made a foul on Drogba for a direct red card but no card was given.

"In the second half he made another one on Robben for a direct red card but only got a yellow. I think it was not Styles' day. I think he's a very good referee. He's a very nice person, very friendly and polite but today was not his day."

But Mourinho had no complaints about the performance of his team who outclassed Arsenal to record their first win at Highbury for 15 years.

Chelsea re-established their nine-point lead over Manchester United at the top of the table with a goal in each half from Robben and Joe Cole. It also increased the margin between Chelsea and Arsenal to a massive 20 points.

"We were the best team and played very well. But they are a team with such quality they can kill you," said Mourinho.

"It's more difficult to beat Arsenal than other teams. It's more difficult to win at Highbury than win at home. So it was a very important victory for us.

"It's a little bit more than a victory. The beginning of the game was very impressive."

The Chelsea coach would not be drawn on his failure to shake the hand of Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger at the end of the game.

Mourinho disappeared down the tunnel without acknowledging the presence of his Highbury counterpart - a legacy of their recent public spat which was sparked by the Chelsea coach's accusation that Wenger was like a 'voyeur' because of his obsession with his club.

"Do you think that's important for the game?" said Mourinho. "I don't think it's important for the game. What's important is 90 minutes of football on the pitch."

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Blues take Highbury spoils


Click here for match details


How far the mighty have fallen. Arsenal's title campaign came to an abrupt end even before Christmas amidst a feisty encounter full of bad blood as Chelsea stamped their authority on the Premiership with a 2-0 win at Highbury.

Chelsea's controversial midfielder, Michael Essien, was fortunate not to be sent off after first flailing his arm in Lauren's face and then clipping the heels of Robin van Persie.

But Jose Mourinho's side deserved their victory as Arjen Robben's 39th-minute strike and a superb second-half effort by the excellent Joe Cole condemned Arsenal to a third consecutive league defeat for the first time since March 1995.

With less than half the season gone, they trail Chelsea by 20 points with just one game in hand. Never mind winning the title, catching Tottenham and Bolton to qualify for the Champions League is now their priority.

Chelsea, meanwhile, go from strength to strength, stretching their lead over Manchester United back to nine points, completing the double over Arsenal and securing their first league win at Highbury since 1990.

Strength is exactly the difference between them and an Arsenal side that have worryingly lost their backbone as much as their dominant position in London.

If ever Arsenal had needed the influence of their former captain Patrick Vieira, this was it. But his departure was compounded by the absence of Gilberto through suspension.

And with Claude Makelele returning to strengthen Chelsea's midfield, Arsene Wenger felt he had no choice but to pay Chelsea the ultimate compliment and change formation.

In a move reminiscent of the FA Cup final, when the Gunners battled their way to victory on penalties against Manchester United, Alexander Hleb moved into a midfield trio and Van Persie slotted onto the left flank.

However, Chelsea still dominated the early exchanges, with Cole firing wide after Didier Drogba's knock-down, while the much-criticised striker was himself causing all sorts of problems with his pace and power.

His penalty claims were turned down after he tangled with Jens Lehmann, while Lauren just managed to block Essien's shot as he picked his spot.

Finally, Arsenal sparked into life, with Thierry Henry as the catalyst. But having swept past Ricardo Carvalho and then John Terry, he slipped the ball past Petr Cech only to watch in anguish as it rebounded back off the far post.

The Gunners' tails were up. Sol Campbell thundered into a tackle to win back possession and the ball sped to Freddie Ljungberg, who crossed for Van Persie to latch onto the ball and clip his shot past Cech to put Arsenal ahead. Or so he thought.

For even though Van Persie was just onside, the flag had been raised against Henry even if he was seemingly not interfering with play.

Arsenal's frustration started to show, with Van Persie booked for dissent and Philippe Senderos only just escaped a caution despite blocking Drogba when he was in full flight.

Then again, the luckiest man on the pitch was Essien, who had avoided punishment earlier for an arm into Van Persie's face and was then shown only a yellow card for exactly the same act against Lauren.

The defender made rather a meal of it, clutching his face as he fell to the ground, but the intent was seemingly still there and referee Rob Styles was surrounded by both sets of players as they jostled each other.

Lauren even had to be restrained on the ground after Makelele had seemingly tried to further inflame the situation.

It was all turning rather nasty, with Drogba and Wenger arguing on the touchline. But while Arsenal were distracted, Chelsea pounced with devastating effect.

Drogba controlled a throw-in, turned and slipped the ball invitingly into the path of Robben, who just managed to beat the offside trap before clipping his shot in off the far post.

Arsenal continued to be riled and little wonder. For just two minutes after Henry was booked for clipping the back of Ricardo Carvalho's heels in frustration, Essien committed almost exactly the same foul.

Referee Styles seemed to be reaching for his pocket but suddenly stopped and contented himself with a final warning. Essien was a relieved man.

Back to the action. William Gallas swiped a shot into the side-netting, while Lauren tested out Cech's reflexes, before Robben passed to Cole when he should have shot, before shooting at Lehmann when he should have passed to Drogba.

On both occasions, clear chances went begging and Wenger went for broke as he brought on Robert Pires and Dennis Bergkamp with 20 minutes to go.

Hope lasted all of two minutes before Cole struck the final blow.

Lauren was at fault in failing to control a long ball by Lampard and being muscled aside by the diminutive Chelsea midfielder, who weaved past Campbell before picking his spot just inside the far post.

Chelsea effectively started to taunt Arsenal with their superiority, with Lehmann just managing to tip Cole's drive onto the post, and the Gunners' misery was complete when Bergkamp and Pires were both denied by Cech.

Just 14 months ago, Arsenal were supposedly 'invincible'. Now they are anything but and it shows. Vieira has gone and, unless they are careful, Henry could follow suit next summer.

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Wenger will laugh off quote


The Football Association is assessing Arsene Wenger's controversial post-match comments about referee Rob Styles' handling of Chelsea's victory at Highbury.

Wenger appeared to claim that Styles and his assistant were siding with Chelsea after Robin van Persie had a first-half goal ruled out for offside in Sunday's 2-0 defeat at Highbury.

Now the FA is considering whether to ask the Frenchman to explain his comments in the wake of a result which effectively ended Arsenal's title aspirations for another season.

However, it still remains to be seen whether Wenger is actually set to face disciplinary action for comments which he would be likely to maintain were ironic, rather than accusing Styles of impartiality.

Wenger made his remarks after television pictures showed van Persie had received the ball in an onside position and the goal should have stood.

"We scored a regular goal but the referee made a very bad decision," he declared. "I associate the referee and linesmen in the same team - the Chelsea team."

The FA has recently been quick to clamp down on comments which appear to cast doubt on the fairness of officials or players.

Last week, they asked Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho to explain himself after accusing Wigan striker Lee McCulloch of feigning injury during their 1-0 win over Paul Jewell's side at Stamford Bridge.

Last December, Wenger was fined £15,000 and warned as to his future conduct by the FA for labelling Ruud van Nistelrooy a cheat.

And as recently as March, Mourinho was also punished for accusing Manchester United players of "cheating" during their Carling Cup semi-final tie at Stamford Bridge.

Wenger also claimed Styles was not brave enough to send off Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien, who appeared to elbow Arsenal defender Lauren in the mouth but was only booked.

"It was just in front of the dugout and the referee was not brave enough to make the decision, but it was a straight red card in my opinion," said Wenger.

However, the FA cannot look into either that challenge or two tackles by Philippe Senderos, both of which Mourinho felt should have warranted a red card, as they were dealt with by the match officials at the time.

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Reds pin faith in Rafa for title


Liverpool chairman David Moores believes the Premiership crown is probably beyond the club this season - but insists they can push Chelsea all the way.

Moores returned from Japan with manager Rafael Benitez's team believing Liverpool were unfortunate not to add the World Club Championship to the European Cup they won last May in Istanbul.

Moores said: "We'll give it a good fight for the title this year. Maybe it's too late for this season, we'll have to wait and see. But we'll go all the way and hopefully there will be a few slip-ups from Chelsea.

"I'm sure the others are watching Liverpool a lot closer now. I'm more optimistic about us winning the title now than I've ever been.

"Things have developed very quickly. Rafa has settled and the players he's brought in have settled, which has made a big difference.

"We've quickly established a relationship where he understands us and we understand him."

Moores, speaking in the Liverpool Echo, has hailed Benitez, whose father died in Spain last week.

He said: "I wouldn't swap Rafa for any manager in the world. If I had to go back and make the appointment again, I know there couldn't be anyone better.

"I really believe he's going to lead this club back to greatness, I really do.

"The team is progressing so well and that's down to Rafa. Look at what he's had to deal with in Japan because of what happened to his father. He has shown he is an unbelievable man.

"For something like that to happen and Rafa to stay with his team is absolutely amazing. I'm very proud of him.

"The way we're playing at the moment is showing how much confidence there is throughout the team. The football is great. Everything has been going fantastically well, apart from the result in Japan."

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Making up is no great shakes - Allardyce


Sam Allardyce believes Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho should have shaken hands after the game at Highbury that erupted in controversy.

Arsenal manager Wenger and his Chelsea counterpart were upset at a number of things that went on during the game.

Bolton boss Allardyce, who is a member of the League Managers' Association's committee, claims both men should have acknowledged each other immediately after Chelsea's 2-0 victory.

He said: "Perhaps that is the foreign element in play (not to shake hands). I don't think that is the British way or the British style.

"But if they have not been brought up with it as we have, maybe they feel the need to ignore what is basically a tradition in our country.

"Because that is not the done thing in the leagues they used to manage in then they don't feel it necessary to do it. We do, we like it.

"Whatever reasons you have, whether you like him or dislike him, I don't think there is any harm at turning round to your opposing manager or coach and saying 'well done' or 'good luck"'.

Allardyce insists the title race is not over and that Chelsea could find themselves back in the mix in the new year.

He said: "Manchester United and possibly Liverpool can give them a run but one or two teams are going to have to beat Chelsea over Christmas.

"If someone goes and gets 12 points and Chelsea lose a couple then all of a sudden it changes the whole concept of who is going to win the Premiership.

"You need to be ruthless against them, though. Chelsea are resilient, then they pick teams off and punish them."

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Win, but do so with grace


When Vince Lombardi was strutting his stuff as the most successful coach in American football history he gave the sports world some of its pithiest phrases.

Among the most famous: "Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing." Little was Lombardi to know that a Portuguese egotist, a French philosopher, a Scottish bully and a portly Spaniard would take him quite so literally.

But that's what we have at the top, or in Arsenal's case close to halfway, of the English Premiership - four men in Jose Mourinho, Arsene Wenger, Sir Alex Ferguson and Rafael Benitez, yes even mild-mannered, level-headed Benitez, who seemingly would rubbish any linesman or slate any referee to win a football match.

What a dreadful indictment that is of the men who not only configure the formations of England's top teams, but also shape the mood of the national game.

Was it really beyond Mourinho to show a grain of magnanimity and shake the hand of Wenger after Chelsea's 2-0 win at Highbury?

Was it too much to expect Wenger to accept for once that the better team won instead of implying that Chelsea fielded 14 men, the demons in his fevered imagination suggesting referee Rob Styles and his two assistants comprised the extra three?

Is it not time that Ferguson, rather than casually impugning the impartiality of officials, ended his 19-month feud with the BBC?

And couldn't Benitez, on a night in Yokohama when so many bowed their heads in silence for his recently-deceased father, have tempered his anger at some admittedly dodgy decisions in the World Club Championship final to set sport and life in true perspective?

In sending out the wrong signals to impressionable youth they are all culpable, but by far the worst is Mourinho.

His apologists smile at his antics.

They chuckle at his trademark grey overcoat, his 'special agent' commercials, touchline gestures and quirky delivery. They maintain he has brought interest and intrigue as well as astute coaching to the Premiership and that cannot be denied.

But he has also brought pettiness, disrespect and malevolence, all of which sum up the arrogance of a club which believes it can buy anyone or anything just because it possesses a mountain of Russian money.

We're not damning the players here. Michael Essien's undoubted skills might come laced with Robbie Savage-style relish but, let's remember, role models rarely come better than John Terry and Frank Lampard.

We're damning men such as chief executive Peter Kenyon, a man whose name appears to surface whenever Chelsea are linked with controversy, such as those involving Sven-Goran Eriksson, Ashley Cole and Rio Ferdinand.

It is all so unnecessary.

Mourinho has the money, the biggest squad, most of the best players and a nine-point lead in the Premiership over United, 15 over Liverpool and 20 over Arsenal.

In reality, the Premiership race is over, so much so that on Christmas Day when Mourinho is taking a sip of his favourite port he could be excused a warm glow of delight at the troubles of his opponents.

Ferguson is out of Europe, Benitez has taken time to come to terms with the Premiership.

And Wenger has allowed Arsenal to slide from the 'Invincibles' of 18 months ago to a side with no balance, no width, no Vieira and one no longer capable of mounting a Premiership challenge.

A smug smile at Arsenal's predicament would be only human. So would a Portuguese wave in the direction of the league table.

What is not acceptable is calling Wenger "a voyeur," accusing Wigan striker Lee McCulloch of feigning injury, calling United players "cheats" during their Carling Cup semi-final last season and on Sunday preposterously suggesting Arsenal defender Philippe Senderos should have been sent off twice while at the same time defending the flaws of Essien.

It's time Mourinho accepted he has a duty to more than the chequebook of Roman Abramovich and paid his dues to English football which embraced him so warmly when he arrived as the self-proclaimed " special one."

Never will that be more crucial than when Chelsea take on Barcelona in the New Year in a Champions League tie simmering with acrimony surrounding the Anders Frisk affair last season when Mourinho accused Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard of attempting to influence the Swedish referee.

It saw Frisk retire following death threats and Mourinho once more fail to shake hands with his opposite coach.

"For me it's not important to shake hands," says Mourinho.

Well, it should be. Winning is not the only thing. The English way demands that winning is achieved with a semblance of grace and honour.

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Blues in charge of destiny


Chelsea's 2-0 demolition of Arsenal has restored their lead at the Premiership summit to nine points and ended any feint hopes the Gunners had of challenging for the title.

Just two matches away from the halfway stage of the league season, we examine Chelsea's remaining games and those of their main rivals Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal to see how soon the Blues can wrap up the championship.

Chelsea

The Premiership champions' grip on the title should be even stronger after the Christmas period which features matches against Fulham, Manchester City, Birmingham and West Ham with 10 points a realistic target. Chelsea's first big game is against Liverpool on February 4 where defeat will put a huge dent in the Reds' title aspirations. Tottenham should prove tricky opponents on March 3 but by the time of the United clash on April 29, the title should already have been won. However the Champions League clashes with Barcelona may take their toll on Jose Mourinho's men and may have a knock-on effect on their Premiership form.

Manchester United

While United's exit from Europe has heaped pressure on boss Sir Alex Ferguson, it may prove the greatest tonic for their Premiership dream. They sit in second place, nine points behind Chelsea, but it is hard to see where they can make up the ground. Tricky Christmas fixtures against Arsenal and Bolton await and there is no let up immediately after the FA Cup third round with clashes against Manchester City and Liverpool scheduled. Life becomes easier after that but they could effectively be out of the chase with defeat by Arsenal on April 8.

Liverpool

The Reds are the Premiership's form side with a maximum 18 points from their last six games but the fall-out from the World Club Championship in Tokyo, which concluded with yesterday's final, could be significant. How they negotiate a tricky spell in mid January until mid February - which includes fixtures against Tottenham, Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea - will decide if they are serious contenders. After that the Reds face Arsenal on March 11 and then have a relatively simple run-in.

Arsenal

The 2-0 defeat by Chelsea at Highbury ended any outside chance the Gunners had of winning a fourth Premiership title under Arsene Wenger. They now trail the Blues by 20 points and while they remain a class act with quality players, that distance is just too great to make up. But with two games against Liverpool and two against United to come, they have the potential to put a serious dent in their rivals' title aspirations and could ease Chelsea's march to a second successive Premiership triumph.

Verdict

In a repeat of last season, Chelsea should be travelling to Bolton on April 15 with the knowledge victory will see them crowned champions. Working on the basis 90 points will be enough to win the championship, only a unforeseeable dip in form will deny them glory at the Reebok Stadium with four games left to play. United's European failure will enable them to concentrate on taking second place with Liverpool third and Arsenal fourth.

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Wilson condemns 'arrogant' Mourinho


Former Arsenal goalkeeper Bob Wilson branded Jose Mourinho "arrogant" and "a bit of a bully" after failing to shake hands with Arsene Wenger following Chelsea's victory at Highbury.

Wilson praised Mourinho's managerial achievements but declared: "I think a lot of people will enjoy it when he tumbles and stumbles. At the moment, he is a little bit of a bully."

Mourinho disappeared down the Highbury tunnel after Chelsea's 2-0 victory on Sunday - without having shaken Wenger's hand.

This followed their public war of words, with Mourinho having also angered Wilson, who used to be Arsenal's goalkeeping coach, by previously calling Wenger a "voyeur".

Wilson told BBC Radio Five Live: "I think his voyeur taunt was an absolute disgrace.

"I have talked to guys who work for Mourinho and they say he is absolutely fantastic but you cannot do as he is doing in not shaking hands.

"At this moment, Chelsea are the best team in the country and that's credit to the players and the coaches that surround them.

"But what I'm upset about, and what I don't like, is the arrogance he has."

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FA quiz Wenger over ref jibe


Arsene Wenger has been asked by the Football Association to explain his controversial post-match comments about referee Rob Styles' handling of Chelsea's victory at Highbury.

However, it still appears unlikely that the Arsenal manager will actually face any formal disciplinary action by the FA.

Wenger appeared to claim that Styles and his assistant were siding with Chelsea after Robin van Persie had a first-half goal ruled out for offside in Sunday's 2-0 defeat at Highbury.

"We scored a regular goal but the referee made a very bad decision," he declared. "I associate the referee and linesmen in the same team - the Chelsea team."

The FA has been quick to clamp down on comments which appear to cast doubt on the fairness of officials or players and a spokesman revealed: "We are writing to Arsene Wenger to ask him for his observations."

However, it remains to be seen whether Wenger is actually set to face disciplinary action for comments which he would be likely to maintain were ironic, rather than accusing Styles of impartiality.

The process of writing to a manager to ask for their observations is now something of a formality to check the context or accuracy of any reported comments.

Jose Mourinho must nevertheless still respond this week to a similar request by the FA after accusing Wigan striker Lee McCulloch of feigning injury during Chelsea's 1-0 win over Paul Jewell's side at Stamford Bridge.

That case could be taken more seriously as, although Jewell has pledged to support Mourinho, the Chelsea boss appeared to mean exactly what he said.

Last December, Wenger was fined £15,000 and warned as to his future conduct by the FA for labelling Ruud van Nistelrooy a cheat.

As recently as March, Mourinho was also punished for accusing Manchester United players of "cheating" in their Carling Cup semi-final tie at Stamford Bridge.

Wenger had also claimed at the weekend Styles was not brave enough to send off Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien, who appeared to elbow Arsenal defender Lauren in the mouth but was only booked.

"It was just in front of the dugout and the referee was not brave enough to make the decision, but it was a straight red card in my opinion," said Wenger.

However, the FA cannot look into either that challenge or two tackles by Philippe Senderos, both of which Mourinho felt should have warranted a red card, as they were dealt with by the match officials at the time.